The Darkness of Mankind
by CritterKid
Summary: AU. They've fought vampires and demons and have even saved the world a time or ten. But they've never faced a challenge like this. Will they be strong enough to survive when they see what people can do to each other?
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is the third story in my little AUville. I would highly recommend reading the other two, Choices and The Four, which are available here, for two reasons. First, they are amazing stories, if I do say so myself. Second, you will be completely lost and this story will make no sense whatsoever if you don't read the first ones. Go. Read. Now.

For those of you who like to live dangerously I will try to recap the story so far. It breaks off from canon mid season 5 around the episode "Checkpoint". In my version they manage to defeat Glory without any self sacrifice, though they do take a beating. After Glory, they live happily ever after, until a demon kidnaps Buffy in an attempt to end the world. The Scoobies manage to get her back and stop the demon, but not before Buffy disappears. And fade to black.

Hmmm... Two stories, twenty-nine chapters, and over ninety-five thousand words and it's summarized in four lines. But seriously, go read the first two.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything is owned by the very talented Joss Whedon. I'm just taking his toys out and playing with them. I promise to put them back, relatively unscathed. Also I don't consider this a crossover, but I do think Angel and his group, and Buffy and her group would help each other out whenever they were needed. Enough talking. I hope you enjoy reading.

Warnings: This is a very dark story, the darkest I have ever written. It deals with the very troubling and unfortunately still very real world of human trafficking, slavery, and forced prostitution. There is nothing graphic, but plenty is implied. It also deals with the physical and psychological recovery of victims being subjected to this world against their will. If this subject is too traumatic for you, I urge you to stop now.

Also, I have no medical training of any kind. I am not a doctor, nurse, psychologist, therapist, or any other medical profession. The extent of my first-aid training is a band-aid, and that makes me queasy. Any medical procedures I reference are completely made up. I did research the various medical stuff on the internet, which as you know means it has to be true to be on the internet, but I still needed to tweak some things in order for the story to work. Don't take any of my medical ramblings as fact.

AN: This story is complete. It is by far the longest story I have written to date. Over two hundred pages and over one hundred thousand words. Since it is so long I'm going to change my posting policy somewhat. I usually will post one chapter a day until it's finished, but since this is so long I've decided to post one to two chapters every three or four days. That will give you time to read it and will not cause me to bang my head against a wall as I try to edit and post so quickly. Enough of my ramblings. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Joyce sighed as she hung up her phone. Dawn was a little too eager for this trip to finally come, though she suspected it had more to do with getting her mother out of the house than her interest in the art Joyce was up here buying. It was her first buying trip to New York. Not knowing how long it would take, Joyce gave herself two weeks in the city. The artists, though, were much more cooperative then she thought they would be and she found all the pieces she wanted within a week. She called home, asking Dawn if she needed her to come home only to get the teenager rant about being an adult and being fine on her own for a short time. In the end Dawn had not so subtly told her to enjoy her surprising vacation in the Big City, as long as she didn't cut Dawn's vacation at home short.

Joyce knew exactly why her daughter was acting like this. It had been four years since they had lost Buffy, her oldest daughter. All the Scoobies worked even harder to make sure that nothing happened to the youngest Summers, much to Dawn's constant distaste. Dawn was constantly complaining that they were smothering her, which they all freely admitted too. It had gotten better as the years passed, but this was the first time that Dawn was truly on her own for an extended period since Giles was away in England at the same time. Of course Willow and Tara were never far away, neither were Xander and Anya.

"What's the verdict?" Tim, the bartender, asked as he brought over her celebratory drink. She smiled at him. His son was one of the artist she was trying to buy from, much too both their surprise. He passed on good things about her, helping smooth the way for many of the artists she was meeting with.

"I think I was officially banned from coming home early," she said, taking a long slow sip. He laughed.

"Kids. Once they get that first taste of freedom all those years you spent with them is gone. Don't worry, though, it all comes back once they have that first load of laundry that needs washing."

"I remember," she told him, her thoughts drifting to her eldest. Happy thoughts, not the sad thoughts that were so common since her death. No. Not death. Death would involve finding a body and burying it. Death would mean closure. They never found anything. It was as if Buffy just disappeared. She shook her head to clear her morose thoughts. "Dawn in my second," she explained. Tim nodded his head in understanding, leaving momentarily to serve another drink.

"You okay?" he asked when he returned a few minutes later. She nodded her head.

"Memories," she told him. "Mostly good." He nodded in understanding.

"If you need anything," he offered. She shook her head.

"Go. Serve your patrons. I'll be fine." He looked at her a minute more, ignoring the rapidly filling bar, before nodding. The bar was attached to the hotel Joyce was staying at, but she found out a lot of the day traders liked to meet up here once the market closed. She watched him interact with his customers for a moment, before turning her attention to the TV screen behind the bar. Someone had requested the local news and Tim had readily accommodated. She had caught glimpses of the big story here and there throughout her stay in New York, but was never able to sit down and watch the whole thing. The story was the start of the trials of several prominent men in New York City who were caught in one of the largest slavery and prostitution rings ever discovered.

The actual bust happened almost six months ago. It was large enough news to actually reach across the country and she remembered hearing about it in Sunnydale. The media hype was on once more as the day finally came for the big players to start their trials. "Disgusting," Tim told her, noticing what had her attention. "Don't think all New Yorkers are like that. Most of us are kind, good natured human beings. Not the monsters who would do something like this." She nodded as she focused on what the reporter was saying. After rehashing the current situation, this news channel decided to do a human interest story focusing on the victims and how they were recovering. Most of the young girls and boys were from overseas, leaving them little support here in the states. Many chose to return to their own countries and their families, while those that chose to stay were coping in a variety of ways. Joyce took the final sip of her drink when a face showed on the screen for mere seconds. She froze, her drink glass falling from limp fingers. "Joyce?" Tim asked, turning toward her at the sound of the glass dropping. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned at her shocked appearance.

"Fine," she said, forcing herself passed her shock. "I just need to go." He nodded and she slipped off the stool and slowly made her way to the elevator. It couldn't have been, she tried to reason with herself. She was thinking about Buffy. That's why she thought she saw her face flash across the screen. She couldn't be a victim in one of the most horrific cases she had ever heard of. Could she?

* * *

Once she reached her room the shock had worn off enough that she was able to form an actual plan. She opened up her laptop computer, grateful that Willow convinced her to get it and shown her how to use it, and connected to the internet. A quick search through headlines found the story she was looking for. She was able to follow it back until the first time the story broke, and after endless searching she was able to pull up the face she had never thought she would see again. "Oh God," she muttered out loud over and over, her fingers reaching out to caress the face on her screen, as she thought about what to do. She looked at her watch. It wasn't that late, just after six. The police detectives should still be there. Having made her decision, she went back downstairs and called for a taxi.

She wasn't quite sure how she managed to get to the police precinct, or if she was even at the right one, but a few minutes after arriving at the police station she was joined by a detective. He was an older man in a cheap suit who looked like he could use several more hours of sleep. "Excuse me," he said politely, causing Joyce to jump. She immediately stood, only sitting back down at his motioning. He took the seat next to her, turning so he faced her completely. "I'm detective Kestrel. I was told you wanted to talk to someone about The Ring?"

"Yes," she said automatically before her brain could catch up. He sighed.

"I'm sorry ma'am," he began in a tone that said this wasn't the first conversation he had been forced to have like this, "but we can't give out information on an ongoing case."

"No, no," she interrupted him. "It's not like that. I don't want any information. I'm here about one of the victims." He sighed again and she realized he must have heard that several times as well. "Wait," she held up a hand, taking a deep breath before facing his tired eyes straight on. "I'm not explaining myself very well. Let me try again." He nodded. She took another deep breath. "I think one of the victims is my daughter."

"I see," he said, throwing her another look, this time filled with hope. There were still several victims, girls and boys, who had yet to be properly identified. "You understand we must investigate your claim. Unfortunately, in cases such as these, there are some people who try to claim a victim to garnish sympathy from the public."

"I understand," Joyce said, pulling open her purse and shuffling through trying to find her pocketbook which held a picture of her family. Taking the photo with shaking hands, she stared at it for a minute before handing it to the detective. "These are my daughters. Buffy and Dawn." He glanced at the picture before immediately schooling his face, revealing nothing that he was thinking.

"Mrs…." He trailed off.

"Summers," Joyce filled in for him. "Ms. Summers."

"Ms. Summers," he continued. "Why are you coming to us now?"

"I own an art gallery in California," she explained, surprised when he took out his notebook and started taking notes.

"Please continue," he said when she stopped talking.

"In Sunnydale," she said after clearing her throat. "I was up here on a business trip, buying some pieces for The Gallery. I was at the bar having a celebratory drink when the news came on. They covered the trial of course, but also did a segment on the victims. I saw my daughter's face."

"When was the last time you saw your daughter?" he asked.

"Four years ago," Joyce answered. She paused, wondering how to word what happened when she last saw Buffy. How do you tell a police detective her daughter went out to kill a demon who was trying to destroy the world and never came back? She sighed. "She was going on a business trip out of town," she told him as simply as she could, "and never came back."

"Where?" the detective asked, his eyes boring into her as he sensed something off about her story.

"I'm not sure. She didn't know exactly where." He frowned slightly.

"Did you search for her?" he asked carefully.

"Yes. When she didn't come home by the time she thought she would we filed a missing person claim with the Sunnydale Police Department. We also looked ourselves, even hired a private detective, but there was never any trace of her. Until now." He made a few more notes in his book before looking at her.

"I'm sure you understand we need to verify your story before we go any further." She nodded her head. "Is there a number where we can reach you?" She quickly gave him the name and number of the hotel she was staying at along with her room number. He quickly jotted down the information. "How long are you staying with us?" he asked.

"My flight leaves at the end of next week," she said automatically, "but that can easily be rearranged." The detective nodded. He stood, offering her a hand, and casually escorted her to the doors.

"We'll call you," he promised, before handing her one of his business cards. "If there's anything I can help you with please call." He hesitated, debating with himself for a minute. "Is there anyone you can call?" he finally asked. "You might need some support over the next few days."

"Are you saying…?" He shook his head, cutting her off.

"I need to verify several things before I can make any sort of statement like that. But regardless of how this goes, you might need the support of someone you can count on." She nodded and left the building, hailing a cab to take her back to her hotel. As soon as she got in the room she picked up the phone and dialed an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" a tired voice answered after just a few rings.

"Rupert," she said softly. "I need you." She then burst into tears as she tried to tell him what happened. She moved to the bed where she eventually cried herself to sleep, the phone still tucked up under an ear.


	2. Chapter 2

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

She awoke to knocking on her door. Confused, she bolted upright when she realized she had slept the day away. The knocking sounded again. "I'm coming," she called out, quickly moving to the door. She opened the door only to come face to face with Giles

"Joyce?" he asked, his hand in the air as if he were ready to knock again. His eyes were full of concern and Joyce briefly thought back to the conversation she had with him.

"You came?" she asked, half wondering if she was dreaming. "That was quick."

"We were leaving anyway," he told her. "It was a simple matter to divert to New York City rather than continue on to Sunnydale."

"We?" she asked, wondering if she interrupted something special. Giles smiled and motioned a woman forward. She was a few years older than Giles.

"This is my sister Veronica," he introduced. Joyce politely shook the woman's hand, noticing the similarities between them. "Now what was so important that it warranted a call to London?"

"It's Buffy," she said, sobbing again. He took her into his arms and guided her until she was back on the bed. She absently noticed the phone was off the hook and went to right it, but Veronica beat her to it.

"What happened?" Giles gently asked once she had calmed down. Joyce told them everything she had found out.

"I know I'm being silly," she voiced for the first time, "it probably isn't even her, but…"

"If there's even the slightest chance we must take it," he said, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I will stay with you until the situation is resolved."

"As will I," Veronica piped in. Her accent was much more upper class than Rupert's was. It matched her attire, expensive tailor made suit and matching designer shoes with perfectly manicured nails and hair that seemed to come straight out of a salon. Her whole look spoke of power and privilege.

"I don't want to put you out," Joyce said, comparing the two siblings. "I'm sure you have places you need to be."

"Indeed," she said proudly, "I am to be Faith's new Watcher." Joyce felt her mouth open in shock before she quickly shut it.

"That's unexpected," she said honestly. Faith had hung around for a bit after the battle, long enough to make sure everyone was coping before taking off, Daniel going with her. She did volunteer to return to jail, like the original agreement had stated, but when Buffy didn't return the Council thought it was more important to have Faith available and made her temporary freedom permanent. Faith was as gracious as she could be, alternating between Sunnydale and L.A. before she decided to hit the road and find a new home.

She and Daniel had bought a couple of old motorcycles and fixed them up. Once they were running good as new, they went on a road trip across America, fighting evil wherever they found it before finally stopping in Cleveland. Another Hellmouth was forming in Cleveland, though not nearly as powerful as the one in Sunnydale, and Faith finally felt like she found a home. She was still far too restless to settle completely though. She and Daniel still took several trips on their motorcycles, especially during the summer months, but she made Cleveland her official home. She was good at keeping in touch with both groups though, even better at coming back if either group needed her help.

The Council was determined to get her back on their payroll, so to speak, and immediately assigned her a new Watcher. He had lasted three months before he quit, the next barely lasted four. Faith tried to work with them, only deliberately scarring them off once she realized it wouldn't work. They just couldn't find the right match for her New Age style of Slaying.

"Is that why you went back to England?" Joyce asked, glancing at Giles.

"Quite," he told her. "There are certain spells and rituals that pair up a Watcher and a Slayer. When Faith went through her eighth Water in two years, the Council decided to perform the ritual again. The name 'Giles' was the result. As fond as I am of Faith, I will never be able to be her Watcher." He regarded her carefully for a moment, fully aware Faith was a sensitive topic to everyone in the Scooby Gang. "They completed the ritual several different times and in several different settings but still the same result. Quentin then thought that perhaps I needed to relinquish the blood oaths I took upon becoming a Watcher, completely removing my status from the Council, but again 'Giles' was the result."

"That's when we realized the ritual was referring to me," Veronica said. "When I took my oaths I was still single. I took the oaths as Veronica Giles, not Veronica Adell, which is my married name. It was quite a shock to me as I was never trained to be a Watcher to a potential Slayer, let alone a Slayer with Faith's unique countenance, but I look forward to the challenge."

"Let me give you some advice," Joyce said, teetering on whether or not to like this woman, "you have to earn Faith's respect. The other Watchers just assumed Faith would give it to them because they were Watchers and she was the Slayer. Faith's not like that. Her respect is earned. And the way you do that is through your deeds, not pretty words she has heard a thousand times before. You need to get down and dirty with her in the mud and the grime and the sewers, not sitting up in the ivory tower telling her what to do."

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "That was a rather refreshing view on Faith's character."

"What?" Giles asked. "I've been telling you the same thing all bloody flight and suddenly it's refreshing."

"It's not the same coming from you dear brother. A woman knows these things."

"Then one more piece of advice," Joyce spoke up, deciding she was firmly on the side of liking the lady Giles. "Loose the outfit and the attitude. I understand wanting to make a good first impression, but haughty arrogance will hurt more than help."

"Of course," she said thinking for a moment before heading for the door. "If you both will excuse me, I need to change and apparently do some shopping. I hear New York is good for that sort of thing." She waltzed from the room without a second thought.

"We have rooms right down the hall," Giles told her. She looked at him amusedly.

"You two seem very different," Joyce commented.

"I defied my calling with every fiber of my being, until I met Buffy," he told her honestly. She nodded, knowing it was true. "She embraced hers." He turned, taking her hands gently and forcing her to look him in the eye. "How are you?"

"Scared. Confused. Worried that it isn't Buffy. Worried that it is," she told him honestly. "If it is her, how could she have been here all this time without us knowing? And if even half the things I've heard them say about this ring is true, how could we just leave her here?"

"It's alright," he said, handing her a tissue as she started to cry again. "If it is Buffy we will have our answers, and probably a whole lot more questions. If it is not, then we will mourn the loss of innocence this young girl has suffered and go back home."

"You're right, of course," she wiped her eyes and smiled at him, surprised when her stomach growled. "I haven't eaten all day. Would you care to join me downstairs? The bar makes pretty decent sandwiches." He nodded and the two of them left for the lobby. Joyce bypassed her usual seat, instead heading to one of the small tables tucked into the side. Tim noticed them and immediately came over.

"You okay Joyce?" he asked in concern, "You left rather quickly last night and didn't seem quite yourself."

"I'm fine Tim, just had a bit of a shock last night," she told him, before turning to Giles. "Rupert, this is Tim, one of the best bartenders I have ever met who happens to be the father of one of the artists I was hoping to buy from. Tim made this buying trip a lot more pleasant than I thought it would be, and not just because he makes the best martinis."

"Aww shucks," Tim said, blushing slightly.

"Tim, this is Rupert, a very dear friend of mine who just flew in from London at my request. He's going to help me with a few things before we fly back to L.A." Tim shook the other man's hand, wondering what things Joyce had to take care of before shrugging it off. Joyce looked much more composed than she had when she ran out the night before, and that was all that Tim was concerned with.

"I know it's not my job, but I can take your order if you're ready." Giles quickly placed an order for scotch, while Joyce ordered her favorite wine, as well as some sandwiches for both of them. Tim nodded, returning with their drinks after a minute and promising to bring their dinners as soon as they were ready.

"Great service," Giles commented playfully. "I think he may be smitten with you."

"He's happily married," she countered.

"That doesn't stop some men," he said, abruptly reminding them of the recent developments.

"What am I going to do Rupert?" she asked, putting down her wineglass.

"There's nothing we can do until the police get in touch," he reminded her. "I suggest until they get in touch, we enjoy our rare night out. It isn't often we both manage to escape that house full of unruly children."

"Dawn is not unruly," she protested.

"Dawn wasn't the one I was thinking of," he said coyly. She laughed as the waitress brought over their dinners. They were enjoying their meal when Joyce suddenly paled. Giles turned in his chair, seeing several people heading toward them.

"Ms. Summers," one of the men greeted her, "I'm sorry for barging in like this, but can we go somewhere private and talk?" Joyce nodded, her food forgotten.

"I have a room here. We can go there if that works." He nodded, turning a curious eye towards Giles when he pushed his food back and stood up at the same time Joyce did. "This is Rupert Giles. A very dear friend of mine." He nodded before letting Joyce lead the way up to her room.

"Detective Johnston," the older man introduced himself as soon as the door to the room was closed. "This is my partner Detective Kestrel," the younger man nodded, "and this is Mr. Typher. He is the District Attorney who is prosecuting the case."

"We've investigated your claim," Detective Kestrel spoke up, "but we have several questions for you." He pulled out his notebook. "You said you filed a missing person's report with the local police force?" Joyce nodded. "We were able to get a copy of it and it seemed that the local police didn't do much investigating."

"That's an understatement," Joyce scoffed. "Sunnydale PD and Buffy never really got along. There's a lot of gang activity for such a small town, and Buffy felt the need to protect her friends and family. She would fight to protect people from getting hurt. This caused her to develop a rather negative reputation that the police force could never overcome. I think when we filed the missing person report they were secretly glad she was gone."

"She was also under investigation for three separate murders," Detective Johnston told them. They nodded.

"No charges were ever filed in any of those instances," Giles told them. The detective regarded him carefully.

"Exactly where do you fit into all this Mr. Giles?" he asked.

"Buffy and I work for the same organization," he told them.

"Which organization would that be exactly?" Detective Kestrel asked.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you," he said regrettably.

"Nothing about it?" he asked calmly. Giles shook his head. "Ms. Summers told us she wasn't sure where her daughter was going when she left the house that day. Her daughter herself didn't know. How can that be?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you," he said again. The Detectives looked at each other.

"Does your daughter have any identifying marks?" Detective Johnston turned back to Joyce. "Tattoos or scars?"

"She had some burns on her back," she told them. "Four symbols encircling a fifth." The Detective looked to the attorney, who subtly nodded, before pulling out a picture.

"Are these the symbols?" he asked handing the picture to Joyce. She looked at the picture briefly before gasping.

"Oh God." She quickly handed the paper back. Giles held out his hand and the detective passed it over. "Those five are there, but I've never seen the others before."

"Do you recognize any Mr. Giles?"

"Some of them," Giles replied, studying the picture carefully before handing it back.

"Does the name Illyiana Romanov mean anything to you?" They shook their heads. The two detectives shared a glance before looking to the lawyer.

"This is a very delicate matter," Mr. Typher spoke up for the first time. "The trials are starting, but the case is still ongoing. They encrypted their systems to the degree we are still trying to break into some of their files. New information is coming in everyday, which continually makes this large and incredibly tragic case grow bigger. And it is an international case, which further complicates things. Many of the victims were taken from third world countries, while many of the predators were upper class, white American men. The political fallout from this is going to be a nightmare, and it's just beginning."

"Why are you telling us this?" Joyce asked.

"We still have several victims on American soil," Typher explained. "They are officially wards of the state, though many of them are not Americans. If we were to rashly give over care to someone just because they claim to be related, and come to find out that is not the truth, the shits gonna hit the fan very quickly and it's all gonna land on us."

"I understand," she told them. "I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"We need proof," he told her. "DNA testing to establish a familial bond."

"I can do that," she told them, resolve firmly in place in her voice. Mr. Typher nodded.

"We've arranged an appointment tomorrow morning at Mercy General. They will draw your blood and run the test. Once the test comes back positive we will talk more."

"Do you think it's her?" Joyce begged desperately. Typher pulled out another photo and handed it to Joyce. "Buffy," Joyce whispered, running her fingers over the face in the picture.

"I think it is," he told them, "and tomorrow I think we will have much to talk about." He moved to take the picture back, but relented at the sad, lost look in Joyce's eyes. "I've arranged a car to meet you. Tomorrow at eight o'clock sharp. We'll see ourselves out." The three men quietly left.

"Oh Rupert," Joyce cried, tears filling her eyes as she clutched desperately at the picture. Giles stepped over and put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I don't think I can do this alone. Will you come with me?"

"Of course," he immediately told her. "Do you want me to stay?" She shook her head and he left for his own room, knowing tomorrow was going to be a long day and not one he would miss for the world.

* * *

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Joyce said diplomatically as she and Giles waited in the lobby. "I know what I said last night, but I was just scared and lonely."

"And you won't be scared and lonely at a hospital?" Giles challenged. Since her near death experience she hated hospitals. The only time she went near one was if one of her kids was hurt, then she was usually the first to leave after making sure everything was okay. "Besides, I know your aversion to needles," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. "I might need to hold you down in order to draw the blood." She smiled at him.

"You know me to well," she told him. They both turned when the elevator opened up behind them. "Mrs. Adell?"

"Veronica please," she said as she joined them in the lobby. "We are practically family you know." She had given up the power suit and went for something more casual. The change in her bearing was quite profound.

"What are you doing here?" Giles asked his sister.

"I thought I would accompany you to the hospital, if you don't mind. A little moral support and all that." She smiled at Joyce and Joyce couldn't help but smile back. It was like meeting a whole different person.

"Don't you need to meet up with Faith?" Joyce asked. She would like the company, like to get to know Giles's sister better, but she knew firsthand the dangers of Slaying and knew how much a Slayer relied on her Watcher.

"Faith doesn't know I'm coming," she told Joyce. Joyce shot a look to Giles, who nodded quickly.

"Faith was told she had a new Watcher," Giles explained, "but not who or when they would arrive."

"Faith is very independent," Veronica told them, which was nothing new to the two of them. "The one thing her various Watchers did agree on is that she doesn't need a Watcher like she did when she was first Called." She looked at the two of them calculatingly. "The only other thing they agree on is Buffy's influence over the girl. They report now she is trying to emulate the other Slayer, instead of trying to take over her life. It would be extremely insightful to understand the interactions of your family so I can hopefully find a place in Faith's."

"Well, I don't know how much you'll learn, but you're welcome to stay," Joyce said diplomatically.

"Excellent," Veronica exclaimed as Detective Johnston walked through the doors. He raised his eyebrow as the three of them walked toward him, but didn't question them.

"Morning," he greeted as he led them to his car and opened the door for them. Half an hour later they were pulling into the hospital parking lot. Detective Johnston led the way, past the admissions desk and into the hospital's conference room. "We've arranged to have the room for the day, though we can take you back to the hotel if you prefer."

"How long will this test take?" Giles asked, shooting a worried glance at Joyce. She had grown paler the closer they got to the hospital.

"We're not doing a full DNA workup, just enough to establish a parental match, so it should be relatively quick. Maybe four, five hours."

"That's quick?" Joyce asked, her voice higher than normal due to nerves. The detective smiled at her reassuringly.

"I've had to wait for two weeks for some DNA comparisons," he told them gently. "Trust me. This is quick."

"Why the expedience?" Veronica asked, her eyes narrowing. The detective went to answer, but his phone suddenly went rang.

"Excuse me," he said, pulling off to the side to answer. After a short conversation he hung up, turning back to them. "I'm sorry, but I've just been called to a crime scene." He looked up as the door opened and a tall, Hispanic woman came in. "Dr. Mendoza will help answer any questions you have about the procedure. Did you want me to arrange a car to take you back to the hotel?"

"No," Joyce said, "We'll be fine here." He nodded.

"I'll be back later. In the meantime, I'll leave you in Dr. Mendoza's good hands." He smiled at them then quickly left the room. Dr. Mendoza came up and took his place. Introductions were quickly made before she got down to business. She quickly explained the procedure, exactly what they were looking for and how they went about finding it. She could tell they were all intelligent people, asking detailed questions and understanding her answers.

"Are there any more questions?" she asked after about fifteen minutes of discussion. They shook their heads. "In that case I'll send one of our lab technicians up here to take the blood sample." She stopped as she was paged on the overhead speaker. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll try to check back on you as soon as I can." With that she was out the door. Ten minutes later there was a soft knock. Giles went to open the door.

"Dr. Mendoza sent me up for some blood samples," the lab tech said cheerfully. She entered the room, pushing a tray filled with test tubes and needles. Joyce sat down, woozy at the sight. "It's not bad," she said, recognizing the reaction. "Just a little prick. I'll even give you a cookie."

"What we wouldn't do for a cookie," Giles joked, trying to calm Joyce down. It wasn't working. "Shall I go first?" he asked, rolling up his sleeve.

"What?" Joyce asked, breaking out of her trance. "You don't need to."

"I'll do it as well if it will help you feel more at ease," Veronica offered. Joyce smiled as the tech applied the tourniquet to Giles's arm. A few minutes later she had a vial of blood, which she carefully labeled before turning to the women. Veronica offered her arm, all the while watching Joyce as if to say it's no big deal. She quickly told the tech her name, ensuring the sample was labeled properly, before the tech turned to Joyce. Joyce sighed, holding her arm up, but turning her head and closing her eyes.

"All done," the tech encouraged as the last vial was filled up. Joyce looked only after she felt the Band-Aid being applied to her skin. The tech labeled the last vial before smiling at them. "I'll get this going right away. While you wait, the gift shop should be open by now if you want to pick up a crossword or something. It's down on the lobby level. And the cafeteria is in the basement. Just follow the signs there. There's also a cathedral on the third floor." They nodded and the tech left them to their own devices.

"Well," Joyce said as the door shut behind her, "this seems like a good time to talk about Faith." They spent the next few hours talking about Faith, Veronica getting some really good pointers and a pretty solid idea of what she was getting into when the door opened again. Everybody went silent, standing in a row in front of the doctor who was studying the paper in her hands intently.

"Well we now have our scientific proof and I can say with ninety-eight percent certainty that you are our Jane Doe's father," she said, standing before Giles and looking him in the eye.

"What?!" Giles asked, shocked. The women on either side of him were standing in shock as well, their mouths hanging open at the news. The doctor just looked confused.

"You are her biological father," she said, studying her papers again. Then Giles did something he had never done in his entire life. He fainted.


	3. Chapter 3

Once again, I know nothing about medical conditions or procedures. I looked up what I could and made up what I couldn't.

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Easy," Dr. Mendoza said as Giles finally opened his eyes. She pulled the smelling salts away when he sat up. "Take it easy there for a minute," she told him, before looking at the other women. "I don't understand. I thought you were here for a parental match to the girl?"

"From me," Joyce screeched. "She's my daughter."

"Apparently his as well," she remarked bluntly, flipping through the papers. Veronica held her hand out and Dr. Mendoza handed her the test results. "The two female samples are still being ran." She looked up as the door opened. The two detectives and the DA entered the room.

"Is there a match?" Mr. Typher asked, noticing the paperwork she held in her hands.

"Yes, but not the one you're thinking," she said, taking back the paper from Veronica and handing it to the new arrivals. "Mr. Giles is her biological father. To everyone's surprise."

"And Ms. Summers?" Detective Kestrel asked, looking at the result in his partner's hands. If they were surprised with this development, they didn't show it.

"Her sample and the sample of Mrs. Adell are still being analyzed," she told them.

"Mrs. Adell?" Mr. Typher asked, looking at the only person he didn't know.

"Rupert's sister," she said, obviously still in shock.

"I see," he said, turning back to the doctor. "How long for the other results?" She stepped out to make a call, returning moments later.

"Approximately an hour," she told them. He nodded, turning back to the group.

"We can wait for your results, Ms. Summers," he told them, "or with Mr. Giles permission, since he has been identified as her biological father, we can proceed." Giles shared a look with Joyce before he nodded numbly. The detectives and the DA took seats on one side of the table. Joyce, Giles, and Veronica took seats opposite them. The doctor left but came back minutes later, a large folder in her hands. She took a seat at the head of the table, between the two groups.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," Detective Kestrel started, "but your daughter has been a victim of The Ring. For the last three and a half years she has been a sexual slave." He paused a moment to let that sink in. They had been preparing themselves to hear those words, but no matter how you prepare they still came as a shock.

"While prostitution rings and high class escort services are fairly common," Detective Johnston took up the story, "The Ring is the most horrifying example I have ever had the displeasure of coming across. The boys and girls they pimp out are not there by choice, they are slaves at the very worst definition of that word, and are treated worse than animals by their Masters. When they are not actively being used, they are kept chained in small pen like cells. Beatings and starvation were common place, as was sexual abuse at the hands of their Masters. And this was still better than being used."

"The pimps were not concerned with how damaged their slaves came back, just as long as they came back," Detective Kestrel continued. He pulled out several pictures of various victim's backs. They could see several brandings on each, most similar but some varied from person to person. "The marks were what you were allowed to do to your purchase. We've managed to identify several of them," he pointed to the various marks as he spoke," anal, double penetration, mechanical, gangbang, bondage, torture, rape, voyeurs..."

"Stop!" Joyce shouted, pushing the pictures away from her. They pulled them back, but left them out on the table. Detective Johnston pulled out one more picture and laid it in front of them.

"All of those things were done to your daughter," he said softly as he showed them the picture of Buffy's back, the marks from the horsemen clear to see between the other brands, "as well as some other things we haven't been able to identify yet."

"Why are you telling us this?" Joyce asked, tears pouring from her eyes.

"To prepare you," My. Typher said. "Your daughter was a favorite. There was hardly a night when she wasn't bought, and not just here. She has a Russian passport under the name Illyiana Romanov. She has used it to travel throughout the world; China, Japan, India, the Middle East, London, Paris, Athens, Venice, and several trips to her home country of Russia. That, of course, doesn't count the many travels she has had here in the United States."

"These places have all been identified as operational arms of The Ring," Detective Johnston took over. "The arms are very territorial with their victims. We don't know why she traveled so much or what it could possibly mean in the future."

"What do you mean?" Giles asked, coming out of his stupor somewhat. Detective Kestrel sighed.

"The Ring is one of the most sophisticated and secretive operations I have ever seen. If the informant hadn't stepped up it's possible it could have gone on for years before anyone realized. We were able to arrest most of the pimps and the Johns, but only one or two of the big bosses on The Ring side. Our international partners had even worse luck than we did with the big bosses."

"Also whenever an illegal organization like this is compromised," Detective Johnston took over again, "there is always a few minutes between when they hear us coming and when we get there. Usually the perps take this time to destroy evidence; computers, files, names, dates, whatever they can get their hands on that they think is a threat to them. In this case the thing they tried to destroy most was your daughter."

"What?" Joyce cried. Dr. Mendoza finally spoke up.

"I was in charge of the ER when the call came in, and I was the first to examine your daughter. She was stabbed twenty-four times in her upper and lower chest as well as her back, while she was chained to a wall."

"They were trying to kill her," Johnston chipped in. "There's no doubt about that." He was about to say more when a knock sounded at the door. Dr. Mendoza rose, walked to the door and had a brief discussion with the person on the other side before rejoining them at the table. She had a new set of papers in her hand.

"We have a positive maternal match for Joyce Summers," she said, handing the papers to Mr. Typher.

"Please," Joyce begged, "I need to see my daughter."

"One moment," Kestrel spoke up. "There's one more thing you should know about your daughter. Whoever the big bosses of The Ring are, they are still trying to kill her. She's been here seven months. We've stopped six assassination attempts."

"Please?" Joyce begged once again. "Can't this wait until after I see her?" Typher nodded and Dr. Mendoza led them from the room.

"There are several things about your daughter's condition you should know before you see her," she said as she led them through the hospital corridors. "She was admitted with extensive trauma and extensive blood loss. She has slipped into a coma and has not yet awakened." Joyce grabbed Rupert's hand unconsciously, seeking some of his strength. "Also some of the stab wounds were dangerously close to her spinal cord. One in particular nearly severed the cord between the T5 and T6 vertebrae."

"What does that mean?" Giles asked, giving Joyce's hand a reassuring squeeze. They approached a secured door, a policeman nodding politely from his post. Dr. Mendoza swiped her card at the scanner. The door opened and she ushered them inside. They found themselves in one of the private wards. Two uniformed officers were standing guard over the middle door. Dr. Mendoza led them towards it.

"It means there is a good possibility she will be paralyzed if she ever wakes up from her coma." As they approached the door they could see the beginnings of a figure start to form. Blanket wrapped legs soon joined by a body and finally a head surrounded by blonde hair. She was laying on her side, her back to the window, the brands peeking out from her hospital gown where the blanket had shifted. "There's one other thing you should know," she started, but Joyce tuned her out. She ran into the room, completely oblivious to the police officers as they started to draw their guns only for Dr. Mendoza to stop them. She rounded the bed, finally laying eyes on her brave, beautiful, big daughter. She barely realized the others had joined her as she stared at her. "She's pregnant," Dr. Mendoza finished carefully, and this time it was Joyce who fainted.

* * *

"How did this happen!?" Veronica demanded of her brother. Dr. Mendoza briefly explained the various machines Buffy was hooked up to and showed them where the call button was before she left them alone to process the situation. The detectives and DA had also left, ordering the guards to the outside of the hallway, leaving the family some time alone. As soon as she came to, Joyce had grabbed hold of Buffy's hand and wasn't letting go anytime soon. Rupert found a chair and pushed her into it. He was feeling very light headed and knew she had to be feeling the same. He grabbed Buffy's other hand, letting its warmth wash over his trembling fingers. After a minute he left the room, giving mother and daughter some much needed time alone. Unfortunately, his sister didn't give him any time alone, stepping into the hallway with him, pacing back and forth in front of the window after he quietly shut the door.

"You and Reginald were trying to have a child for five years and you don't know how this happened?" he snapped. She looked ashamed. He reached out and laid his arms on the glass, hanging his head down dejectedly.

"I don't mean 'How'," she corrected. "I mean 'how?'" She laughed maniacally. "When father finds out about this."

"Don't tell him," Giles begged, a hint of panic creeping into his eyes. She softened, reaching out to put a comforting hand on this arm.

"I won't say anything," she promised, "but we have to tell them Buffy has been found. We'll need their help getting her home. And when they learn where she was…"

"They'll pull her file," Giles filled in the blanks, already too aware of how the Council worked. "And in her file will be my paternity test." He sighed, watching as Joyce gently spoke to her daughter. He felt Veronica come stand next to him, watching the scene in the room.

"How did this happen?" she asked again, calmly this time.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I never suspected."

"Where were you?" she asked. "Twenty-five years ago?"

"I was rebelling," he told her, "with Ethan. We weren't exactly careful with anything we did."

"So it would seem," she said, looking up when the door opened. Dr. Mendoza returned, pushing a machine on a cart. "Ultrasound?" she asked. Giles gently rapped on the glass, giving Joyce enough time to wipe her tears away before they entered the room.

"This is a very high risk pregnancy," she told them, setting up the machine with ease. "She had an ultrasound every week until we reached the sixth month mark. Then it increased to every other day. Now that we've passed the seventh month mark it is done daily."

"Seven months?" Joyce asked. "She's so big." The doctor smiled knowingly. She gently uncovered Buffy's abdomen, squirting the gel on her bare skin. It didn't take long for the doctor to find the fetus. "It's a boy?" Joyce asked in wonder, squeezing her daughter's hand tightly. She flipped a switch and the sound of a heartbeat could be heard in the still room. Dr. Mendoza let them listen for a minute before switching off the audio.

"That one is," she said, running the wand over her abdomen again.

"That one?" Joyce repeated. "You mean?"

"She's having twins," the doctor grinned, finding the second form. "She's a little shy, likes to hide behind her brother."

"A girl?" Joyce asked in awe, clutching Buffy's hand even tighter. Dr. Mendoza flipped the audio switch again and they heard her heartbeat, strong and steady just like her brother. She flipped the switch and hung the wand on the hook before cleaning Buffy up and turning her onto her other side. She reapplied the gel and picked up the wand, searching for something.

"Is there another one in there?" Veronica asked. She had been trying to have a child for years and found the procedure amazing.

"Not anymore," Dr. Mendoza said sadly. She finally found what she was looking for, the small form that barely started to look human. "The little one here was also hit by one of the knives during the initial stabbing. She managed to carry it for another three months before it passed." She again hit the audio button, but the silence it played was heavy.

"What was it?" Giles asked as he wiped tears away from his eyes.

"We don't know," she told them honestly, flipping the audio button once again. "Our main concern with this one is that the fetus will get tangled up in the umbilical cords of the other two. If that happens we'll need to remove them as quickly as possible. We'll need your consent to perform an emergency C-Section if necessary."

"You have it," Joyce told them, running her fingers through Buffy's long locks. She looked up when the DA entered the room.

"We have just a few more things to discuss then I'll leave you alone. Would you prefer to go back to the Conference Room?"

"I'm staying here," Joyce told him firmly. He looked to the others, but they simply glared back as if daring him to separate mother and child.

"Very well. As Dr. Mendoza told you, when your daughter was brought in she fell into a coma. We had a Russian passport for her so naturally we contacted the Russian government. Once they realized the passport was fake they refused to let her back into their country. She, like so many others, became a ward of the state. We tried to find out who she really was, but her fingerprints weren't in the system. After two months of fruitless searching, and no improvement from a medical standpoint, we thought the best thing was to let her go. We filed a motion for life support to be terminated. A District Judge granted the motion. Three days before we were to pull the plug we discovered she was pregnant. The motion was suspended, pending review at the completion of her pregnancy, whether live birth or miscarry."

"What are you saying Mr. Typher?" Giles asked coldly.

"As her parents, the decision whether or not to terminate life support is now yours to make. Unless you want to continue with the Court's decision."

"No," Joyce stated. Giles merely glared at him.

"The last item for tonight is regarding the children. The Court decided to place the children into foster care if they survived."

"No," Joyce stood up, facing the lawyer for the first time. "This is my daughter and those are my grandchildren. And as soon as I can I am taking them all home." He smiled at her.

"That was what I was hoping to hear." He turned to the rest of them. "I'll start the necessary paperwork first thing in the morning."

"Will you need anything else from us?" Giles asked.

"Just some signatures when I get the forms filled out." He handed him a business card. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call." Giles nodded, tucking the card in his breast pocket before shaking the lawyer's hand. He quickly left the room.

"Am I correct in assuming you will want to spend the night?" Dr. Mendoza asked. Joyce nodded her head. "I'll arrange a cot to be brought in. Please use it. I know it is a very stressful time right now but you need to take care of yourself so you can take care of her." They nodded in understanding. "One last thing. The nurses have Jane, I mean Buffy, on a very strict routine. Please don't interrupt them as they care for her."

"Of course," Veronica answered when neither Joyce nor Rupert spoke up. Dr. Mendoza sighed, but let it go. She smiled as she left the room, leaving the family together. "Rupert," she spoke up when they were alone. "Did you happen to notice her back?"

"If you're referring to the demonic symbols yes I did," he told her, cleaning his glasses harshly.

"You mean the marks from the Horsemen?" Joyce asked, rounding the bed so she could see Buffy's back. Giles pulled the blanket down and gently undid her gown, exposing her back to them. They all paled when they saw the new burns, especially since they now knew what they represented. Veronica pulled out a notebook from her purse and began copying the symbols, focusing on the demonic ones.

"Only the five are from the Horsemen," he reminded her. "There are several from different clans of demons, and even some that even I don't recognize."

"We need to call the Council," Veronica said when she was done taking her notes. "We need to start researching what these symbols mean and how they got on her back." Giles nodded reluctantly while Joyce just looked dazed. "Perhaps I'll head back to the hotel and call them and return in the morning with some breakfast?"

"Thank you," she said as the other woman nodded and walked out the door. She turned to Giles. He opened his arms and she fell into them. "Oh God. What am I going to do? What are we going to do? What am I going to tell Dawn?"

"Sshhh," he calmed her as best he could. "Let's worry about all that in the morning. Right now we're both exhausted. Let's get some sleep. Everything will look brighter tomorrow." She nodded and they broke apart just as the cot was delivered. The nursing staff quickly made up the spare bed, before making notations in Buffy's chart and leaving. "You can take the bed," he told her chivalrously. She laughed and took the chair, moving it to where Buffy was facing. He sighed, gently did up her gown and pulled the blanket back up, before he climbed into the makeshift bed. Neither one of them slept that night.

* * *

"You two look horrible," Veronica said as she entered the room the next morning. She brought three cups of coffee and a half dozen doughnuts for them.

"You don't look much better," Giles groused. "You've got dark rings under your eyes."

"Charming as usual," she told him as she handed out the coffee. She spoke to Joyce while Giles sipped his coffee. "I wasn't sure how you take your coffee, so I have a selection of sugars and creams in the box. I also brought you a change of clothing. I hope you don't mind me going through your things Joyce, but the doctor said we could use the staff room to shower and feel almost human again."

"Not at all if it means I get out of this outfit," Joyce told her. "But where is the bag?"

"The police are having a rather thorough search of it," she explained. As if to prove her words the door opened and one of the police guards placed the large bag on one of the chairs before politely nodding his head and stepping out. Once the door was closed she turned to her brother with a serious look on her face. "I had a rather disturbing thought on the way back to the hotel last night."

"Oh? What was it?" Rupert asked her.

"About the brands. The demonic ones specifically." Joyce looked up at that. "The brands are her," she hesitated briefly, "selling points. What if the demonic brands were her target audience?" She looked disgusted at the thought, but not nearly as horrified as Giles looked.

"A demonic sex slave ring," he closed his eyes at the image.

"Your friend Kate has said demons have begun working within society instead of on the fringes for years. It would explain all the traveling she did. All those cities are demonic hotspots."

"Why would they try and kill her though?" Joyce asked. "Besides the obvious I mean." They looked uncomfortable before Giles started to speak.

"As much as we bemoan them, the Council does truly have the benefit of mankind at heart. It's much different, sitting there safe behind the Council walls versus on the front lines. In some ways it's simpler for us here on the front lines. We have all the power. When we see a demon killing someone we don't debate what we're going to do. We kill it. Plain and simple. Behind Council walls it is more complicated. They have resources, but numbers alone aren't going to kill most demons. Where and when to deploy the resources they have is a constant argument there. We keep our little corner of the world safe, but they try to keep the entire world safe."

"They don't have enough resources to go after everything that goes bump in the night," Veronica picked up the explanation. "They generally let small demonic activity go to save their resources for the big stuff in a place that has no Slayer. Demonic slave rings are not unheard of, neither is adding the sexual practices, but to have the Slayer as the main attraction would necessitate a response from the Council."

"But kill the Slayer before she's identified and you have just another unfortunate girl," Giles concluded. They stopped talking when an older nurse walked into the room. She greeted them politely before starting her ministrations, talking to Buffy and the others and explaining everything she was doing. She left when she was complete thirty minutes later only for another intern to follow close behind. He looked around nervously and Giles felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He wasn't the only one as Joyce quickly blocked his path.

"I just need to check her IV," he stammered, pulling a syringe from an inside pocket. "Dr. Mendoza ordered the medicine."

"Then Dr. Mendoza can explain it to us in person," Joyce insisted. The intern made his move, but Giles pulled him back as Joyce hit him repeatedly with her purse. The syringe slipped from his hand and Joyce quickly picked it up, keeping it safely from his grasp. The commotion alerted the guards and they burst in, guns drawn, and quickly took the young intern down.

"Attempt number seven," Detective Johnston said as he and his partner made their way into the room hours later. The intern was already at the precinct, but they wanted to check and see that the young woman was unhurt. Veronica had left to update the Council, leaving just Joyce and Giles in the room. "I heard you beat back the bad guy."

"Just dumb luck," Giles said modestly.

"Not the way I hear it," the detective told him. "From what I hear you two had the guy on the floor before the cops could even make it into the room. Good job." He smiled at them before he left the room.

"We need to get her home, Rupert," Joyce said from her seemingly permanent position at her side. "We can protect her better than they can here, especially if demons get involved."

"I've already talked to Dr. Mendoza about transferring her, but she is reluctant to do so until the children are born. She said the stress of moving could cause Buffy to go into premature labor and it's in the children's best interest to stay inside the womb as long as possible."

"Besides the Council is sending a physician to oversee the transfer," Veronica told them, coming back into the room.

"No offense, but I don't really trust Council physicians," Joyce said sulkily. "Or Council people in general."

"Is there anyone you do trust?" Veronica asked curiously, choosing to ignore the thinly veiled threat. The conflict between this Slayer and the Council were well known. And as much as she hated to admit it, both sides were to blame.

"I trust Ben," she replied. Giles smiled.

"Then it's a good thing he decided to stay in Sunnydale once his residency was complete," he said. "I just hope he's up to the task of a Slayer. I hear they can be quite a handful." Joyce smiled

"Just like their mother's," she added before turning all her attention to her daughter. She began talking to her, telling her all the excitement that just happened. Rupert and Veronica decided that was a good time to step into the hallway.

"Are they really on their way?" Giles asked his sister.

"Apparently Quentin himself is coming." Giles groaned. Quentin was not a favorite among any of the Scoobies, himself included.

"He won't like the fact that you're here and not with Faith." She scoffed, barely keeping the eye roll at bay.

"I'm sure abandoning Buffy at this uncertain time is the way to win Faith's favor." He smiled approvingly.

"You'll do fine with her," Giles said reassuringly, giving his sister a quick hug. They pulled apart when they heard the door open. Dr. Mendoza was wheeling her portable ultrasound toward them, a strangely blank look in her eyes. "Doctor?" Giles asked, feeling his skin tingle the second time that day. She ignored him and continued into the room, both of them following closely.

"It's time to check out the babies," Joyce told her sleeping daughter, moving back automatically. The doctor donned her gloves and bared Buffy's midsection before reaching for the gel. She applied a generous amount to Buffy's skin and reached for the wand, but when she pulled her hand back she held a dagger instead of the wand. She plunged it down toward the helpless girl. Giles barely had enough time to throw himself between the doctor and the comatose Slayer. He grabbed her hand with both of his, but she was still able to knock him on top of Buffy. He countered with a shove, causing him and the doctor to fall to the floor.

"Possession?" Veronica asked helplessly. Dr. Mendoza still had control of the dagger, despite Giles attempts to wrestle it away from the woman. Joyce jumped in as well, brandishing a chair and repeatedly hitting the doctor from behind.

"I think so," Giles called out, rolling them away from the bed and straight into the cart. The force caused the cart to fall over and crash, but even that wasn't enough to deter the doctor. She quickly got to her feet and headed once again for the bed. Giles tripped her hard, grabbing her from behind, causing both of them to fall heavily into the bed. This unfortunately caused the bed to flip, flinging the comatose girl to the floor. Tubes, lines, and monitors were all violently disconnected, leaving all the machines screaming in anger. Joyce quickly made her way to her daughter while Giles tried to restrain the good doctor. He managed to get the knife out of her hands and fling it into the corner before the doctor got the upper hand again.

"Hang on," Veronica called out. "There's some sort of clay symbol attached to the bottom of the cart."

"Break it," Giles choked as she got her hands around his neck and was squeezing as hard as she could. Veronica pulled the symbol off and flung it to the ground, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Immediately a yellow light flared from the broken amulet.

"What happened?" Dr. Mendoza asked dazedly, letting go of Giles's neck like it was on fire.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Giles wheezed. Dr. Mendoza quickly climbed off the downed man. Giles moved his hands to his neck, rubbing at the soreness he could feel.

"Eating dinner in the staff lounge." She looked at her watch in confusion. "That was five hours ago."

"Doctor!" Joyce yelled from her daughter's side. "Something's wrong." They needed no more encouragement then that. Giles leapt to his feet and they all raced over to Buffy's bedside. Her staff was already entering the room, brought in by the machine alarms. They glanced around quickly before beginning to right the equipment.

"Buffy? Can you hear me?" Dr. Mendoza spoke calmly. The blonde seemed to be struggling weakly, her eyes fluttering under the tape that kept them closed. "Oh God," she gasped, looking at the pool of wetness between her legs. She quickly had Buffy back on the bed as her staff worked to reattach the various items.

"Her water broke," Joyce realized as the doctor grabbed the hopefully still working piece of equipment. There was a crack in the screen, but thankfully everything worked enough to tell the doctor they were in trouble.

"Crap," she said as she reached for one of the buttons on Buffy's bed. A second later a different siren was going off at the nurse's station. "They're not in position," she explained as she began gathering up equipment. "We need to do the emergency C-Section. You need to leave."

"I'm not leaving," Joyce demanded as she grabbed her daughter's hand. The room was quickly filling with people.

"Fine," she relented as she scrubbed up as quickly as possible. "But you need to stay out of our way." Joyce nodded, quickly donning the gown and mask they gave her. "You two out!" They quickly cleared the room, content to watch the action from the other side of the glass. "Starting the incision," she said as her team worked to save the lives of all three of them.

"Blood pressure is dropping Doctor," one of the nurses who rushed in to help told her, "and I think she's waking up?"

"What?" gasped Joyce, but the rest were too busy to notice. Joyce leaned closer to her daughter. She could see her eyes trying to open, knew it was only a matter of time before the tape snapped. "Buffy? I'm here baby. Mommy's here." A few seconds later her eyes opened. She didn't turn her head or look around, only stared straight ahead. Joyce moved so she was in her line of vision. Buffy struggled to focus on her.

"Mommy?" she said weakly, forcing the words out over the tube down her throat. The nurse looked back briefly at her weak voice, but the sudden crying of an infant drew her attention away again.

"It's a boy," the doctor cried out, giving the wailing newborn to a waiting nurse.

"A boy," Joyce repeated, looking down at her daughter.

"William Giles," Buffy said softly, her eyes blinking slowly in a daze. Joyce nodded, holding her hand and squeezing tightly. A few minutes later her daughter came into the world. "Alexandra Joyce," Buffy said before her eyes rolled up and she passed out.

"She's crashing," one of the nurses yelled. "Blood pressure is dropping fast."

"There's a hemorrhage and I can't…" she paused, smiling in triumph. "There it is." She quickly stitched up the tear, but not before Buffy flat lined. "Charge the paddles. Clear." Joyce automatically let go of her hand, knowing what was coming but unable to stop it. Buffy's dead body jumped as the electricity ran through her, but there was no change. "Again," Dr. Mendoza demanded. Joyce tuned out their attempts to help her daughter. Her whole world focused on that steady green line on the monitor.


	4. Chapter 4

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"They're beautiful," Giles commented when he joined Joyce in the makeshift nursery. Joyce was sitting in a rocking chair someone brought in, holding her granddaughter. "They're so small," he said in awe as he looked at the blanket glad form of the boy.

"Do you want to hold him?" she asked. He quickly shook his head.

"I'm afraid I might drop him," he admitted sheepishly. "I don't have much, well any, experience with newborns. Or babies. Or children for that matter." She laughed, put down the girl, and guided him to the rocker.

"What better time to learn. Sit down," she told him, gently pushing him into the chair. "Now make a basket with your arms. And remember to support his head." He did as he was told and when she was satisfied she gently picked up her grandson and placed him in his arms. She hovered for a moment until she was sure he wasn't going to drop him. Once she was satisfied, she pulled another chair closer and picked up the girl again. "Buffy was awake briefly toward the end. She even had some names for them."

"Oh?" Being outside the room Giles wasn't able to see any of this.

"Alexandra Joyce for the girl," she said, looking down at the sleeping infant.

"Xander?" he asked hopefully. She nodded.

"William Giles for the boy."

"Giles," he said in amazement, before remembering the other name. "William. Willow?"

"I think so," she said, her eyes tearing. "I don't know what happened to her, but a little part of her was still holding on to us."

"She is an amazing woman," he told her proudly.

"Our daughter," she said softly. Giles looked uncomfortable with that thought. "And our grandchildren." They sat holding their grandchildren for a few minutes, thinking back to what happened the night before. Thankfully, after much testing and measuring, the pediatric doctors they called down declared the infants perfectly fine, if a tad on the small size. Their mother was also fine. After three agonizingly long minutes they were able to get her heart started again and stabilize her. They quickly transferred her and the infants to a special post-delivery room Dr. Mendoza had already prepared. There they learned Dr. Mendoza had also extracted the stillborn fetus, which they found out would have been another girl.

Buffy was still unconscious, though she was responding to stimulus in her upper body. Her lower body was still unresponsive, but Dr. Mendoza told them that any response after such a long time is a miracle. The family stayed together that night, even Veronica stayed with them. In the morning Buffy was scheduled for a series of tests now that she was showing signs of waking. Unwilling to leave either one of them alone, Giles volunteered to go with Buffy, leaving Joyce with the newborns. "They should be bringing Buffy back any minute now," Giles said, not taking his eyes of the infant. As if on cue the door opened and Buffy was wheeled in, Dr. Mendoza following her.

"The results are encouraging," she said as she supervised the orderlies as they got Buffy back into bed. They quickly reattached her to the various monitors. Dr. Mendoza made a few notes before turning back to the grandparents. "It's almost as if the damage has been completely healed. Yesterday we could see scar tissue around the vertebrae, but now that's gone as well. Even the incision from the C-Section is practically gone."

"She heals very quickly," Giles told her.

"She's a miracle," the doctor said in awe.

"Yes she is," Joyce agreed, sharing a look with Giles. He smiled back.

"Normally I'd say she might start waking up in a few days' time, but at the rate she's going it might be tonight. If she does, remember confusion and aphasia are common after this type of injury, and that's not taking into account the psychological trauma she's had to endure." She made several notations to her chart then looked at the new grandparents. "I'll be by in the morning to check on her." They nodded and watched as the doctor left the room. Several minutes later Veronica entered.

"They're here," she said, with a hint of warning in her voice. Giles immediately panicked, trying to set down the child he was carrying without dropping him. Veronica took pity on him, scooping the sleeping infant out of his arms and into hers as naturally as he would pick a book off the table.

"Thank you," he said, getting quickly to his feet. Joyce made to copy him, but he waved her back down. He forced a smile on his face as Kate entered the room, followed by a man that could only be the Council physician as he headed straight for Buffy's chart, followed by Quentin Travers. His eyes widened at the next figure that entered the suddenly too small room. "Father?"

"I see you managed to find your Slayer again Rupert," Quentin said, looking at her prone form on the bed before turning his attention to the infants in their arms. "And she was with child. How unexpected."

"You know this was not of her choosing," he told them harshly, "and even if it was I would still support my Slayer one hundred percent."

"The rules are there for a reason," Quentin said bluntly. "You disregarded them so often. Four years ago she nearly paid with her life. Are you willing to make the same mistake again?" Giles looked uncomfortable but determined.

"We take care of our own," he said through gritted teeth. Quentin merely nodded before turning to Veronica.

"Your deduction of the demonic slave ring was very insightful and very accurate. I hope you continue with that level of performance when you finally meet Faith."

"Thank you Sir," she replied, beaming. "I will try my best to continue to be the Watcher Faith finally deserves." He nodded before turning to Kate, who quickly brought them up to speed.

"We've managed to track down several operational arms of The Ring with the information you've provided," she told them. "I'm the liaison with the authorities in several of the countries they operated in. Hopefully within a few years all those arms will be shut down."

"And the demonic aspect?" Giles asked. Kate sighed.

"That might be more problematic. We've identified several possibly arms, but we until we know for sure there's not much I can do." She turned to Veronica. "I was hoping once we have some of these arms identified Faith can come clean house." Veronica looked to her brother, who gave a small nod before replying.

"I think we might be able to arrange something." Kate nodded before turning a sympathetic face to Joyce.

"How are you doing?" she asked, touching the older woman on the arm lightly.

"My world has shattered and been rebuilt so many times already I don't know if I'm really living it anymore." Kate smiled in understanding before looking at the baby in her arms.

"They're beautiful," she told them, taking in the baby Veronica was holding as well. "What are their names?"

"Alexandra Joyce Summers," Giles said, "and William Giles Summers." Everyone looked up at the name Giles being included. Their father coughed before turning and walking out the door.

"We have work to do Quentin," he said sternly as he left. "I'm sure we will have time to talk later." Quentin nodded before he and Kate followed them out. The other Watcher turned to them.

"It's amazing that she survived, let alone carried the twins nearly to term. She came out of her coma during delivery?"

"Yes," Giles told him. "It was almost as if her Slaying healing kept the children alive until they could survive on their own then it turned back to her."

"That very well could be what happened," he told them, flipping a few pages in her chart.

"Will she be able to walk again?" Joyce asked desperately. The Watcher sighed.

"I don't know. The physical injury is healed, but we still know very little about treating nerve damage or how much nerve damage a Slayer's natural healing can overcome. Plus, the injury is old. We'll need to wait for her to wake up for a complete work up, but the fact that her upper body is responding is encouraging."

"And when would that be?" Joyce asked.

"Whenever she's ready," he said simply, "but I've heard she's one hell of a fighter. This is just another fight for her to win." Joyce smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to have a discussion with Dr. Mendoza about our patient." He quickly left the room, shutting the door behind them for some privacy. Joyce turned to Rupert.

"What rule was Travers talking about?" she demanded.

"Which ones haven't we broken?" he asked heavily as he cleaned his glasses. He took one look at his Slayer before turning to her mother. "Slayer's rarely have children. It's understandable with their unfortunately short lifespan, but even those that reach child bearing age often choose not to have children. They can't fight when they're pregnant, at least not effectively, and are easy targets for the demons who already want them dead. Plus, if they survive pregnancy, demons tend to hunt down and kill any children of the Slayer. They are considered prizes far more delectable than the Slayer herself."

"Why?" Joyce asked, hugging her granddaughter closer. Giles shrugged.

"Perhaps Anya can answer that. But take a moment and think about this. The Monks sent Dawn to Buffy to protect. They integrated her into our lives in a way that would ensure Buffy would die to protect her, but they inserted her as a sibling, not as a child like one would expect." Veronica looked at her brother curiously. He just shook his head.

"I never thought of it like that," Joyce admitted.

"If we announce to the world that these are Buffy's children, they will be hunted until they are killed," Giles said bluntly. Joyce paled.

"What do we do?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Whatever it is we don't need to decide this very minute." She silently agreed, placing the sleeping infant in the cot as they had another sleepless night at the hospital.

* * *

Early the next morning Buffy woke up. Veronica was the first to notice and quickly roused the others before going for a nurse. She lay in her bed, staring straight ahead, oblivious to any attempts to reach her. The nurse came in and jotted a few notes before Buffy dropped off again.

The next time was several hours later. Dr. Mendoza was doing her rounds and was thankfully there for the event. "Good morning Buffy," she said cheerfully, but Buffy continued to ignore everyone, her eyes staring blankly ahead. Occasionally her eyes would wander the room, but she would never focus on anything for more than a few seconds. Dr. Mendoza tried to complete an examination, but Buffy closed her eyes again before it was finished.

"Doctor?" Joyce asked hopefully. She sighed.

"She's completely unresponsive," she told them. "She doesn't react to pain, can't follow simple commands, and doesn't seem to understand what's happening around her."

"Why?" Giles asked.

"While there was no indication of brain damage, when she was admitted she was in extreme hypovolemic shock from blood loss. It's possible her brain didn't receive enough oxygen and was damaged at that time." The doctor looked at her hands for a minute before focusing on the family again. "She's also not responding to any pain stimulus or verbal commands on her upper or lower extremities. It's possible the damage to her spinal column was more severe than we originally estimated." She stopped, looking deeply into the eyes of her parents. "I think it's time you prepare yourselves with the very real possibility your daughter may never recover." She left the room just as one of the Watchers entered. They nodded courteously, but she didn't like having him here and made no attempt to hide the fact. He closed the door as he entered, giving them some privacy.

"Rupert," he greeted the others. "Joyce. Veronica."

"I'm sorry," Joyce began as he pulled Buffy's chart off. "I never did get your name."

"Gregory," he told her as he studied the new notes. "Gregory Sullivan. Looks like our girl woke up."

"A couple times," Veronica confirmed before pointing to the closed door. "She doesn't like you very much." He sighed.

"She doesn't dislike me," he told them, "she just doesn't like my presence in her case. Buffy has been her patient since day one and now, just when there is starting to be some improvement, a stranger shows up demanding to be part of the team. Her reaction is perfectly understandable and one I encounter everywhere I go."

"When can we take her home?" Joyce asked immediately.

"Isn't it a bit early for that talk?" Giles asked. Joyce shook her head.

"Not home," she amended, "but back to Sunnydale. They've already tried to kill her twice, and that's just since we've been here. Her own doctor tried to kill her."

"Yes, but she was under an enchantment," Veronica pointed out. "And then she did save her life."

"I know," Joyce admitted, "and I'm not holding that against her. But these people are not equipped to deal with the things we deal with every day. They can't keep her safe against supernatural threats like we can back home. We need to get her home where Spike and Willow and Tara and Xander and Anya can keep her safe. Where the doctors understand things go bump in the night, even if they don't acknowledge it. We need our family together."

"All valid points," Gregory said, rubbing his chin and thinking hard. "It will take several days to arrange transport back to Sunnydale, but I think that is something I should look into right away." He turned to face Giles. "Rupert, you were concerned with drugs or some other agent being administered to keep Buffy in line." He nodded.

"It was one of the ways Azeroth was able to subdue her." Gregory nodded his head.

"I have good news and bad news on that front. The bad news is you were correct. Her admission blood work did show several unknown substances. Further bad news is there is no way to know what these substances were. There are no remaining blood samples taken from that time to compare to known demonic substances, and there never was any further testing done to identify what the unknown substances were. The good news, though, is a seven month coma is a very effective withdrawal tool. I finished testing a sample of her blood I took and found no additional substances in her blood, known or unknown. She's clean right now."

"Thank God," Joyce cried in happiness. Watching Buffy go through withdrawal once was bad enough. She didn't think she could take it a second time.

"Now for her current condition. She woke up twice since I left?"

"Yes," Giles answered.

"Dr. Mendoza wrote 'unresponsive' as her condition." Joyce scoffed.

"Dr. Mendoza was trying to get a reaction from a pinprick," she told them. "I've seen my daughter fight with a broken arm. The only reaction she would get from a pinprick would be a laugh. Besides she was reacting last night." Gregory frowned.

"You're right," he said, moving over to her bedside. He carefully pulled the blanket off to the side, exposing her gown clad form. "Buffy? Buffy? Can you hear me?" Her eyes remained closed. He pulled a pin from his pocket and started at her feet, poking her skin lightly while carefully searching her face and body for any sign of discomfort. "Our conscious and subconscious minds process things very differently. Consciously, you're absolutely correct. A pinprick wouldn't even register on her threshold. But subconsciously the body reacts on instinct, and instinct tells us to pull away from things that are poking us." He slowly made his way up her body, but it wasn't until he was near the top of her ribcage that she started responding, making a face at the uncomfortable prodding. Her shoulders, arms, and hands weakly jerked at the prodding. "Interesting," Gregory said as he wrote down his findings.

"Can we lose the ventilator?" Joyce asked. "Buffy hates those things." He frowned.

"Not yet. She's not quite breathing on her own yet and until she does..." The doctor trailed off as everyone realized what he didn't say. As if hearing them Buffy started opening her eyes once again. "Hello Buffy," he said, looking deeply into her eyes, but she just stared straight ahead. He tried waving his hand in front of her to get a reaction but got nothing. He looked at the others in dismay.

"Let Joyce try," Giles suggested. "After Azeroth she was the only one who could get through to her. Their bond only grew because of it." Gregory nodded and Joyce quickly stepped up to her daughter's bedside.

"Hey baby," she said, moving until she was directly in Buffy's line of sight. "Mommy's here." She reached down and grabbed one of her hands, the other stroking her daughter's hair. It took a few minutes for Buffy to react, but she eventually focused on her mother, her lips twitching in a small smile.

"Amazing," Gregory said as he watched them interact. "Can you see if she can track your finger?" he asked. She looked up briefly so he could demonstrate what he meant.

"Buffy?" Joyce asked as she looked back down at her daughter. "Can you see my finger? Can you focus on it?" They watched as she struggled to focus on the finger Joyce was holding in front of her. She focused momentarily before returning her gaze to her mom. "I need you to keep focusing on my finger. Can you do that sweetheart? Can you please try?" Buffy again struggled to focus on her mom's finger, this time keeping her eyes on the appendage.

"Slowly move," Gregory instructed. Joyce nodded, slowly moving her finger to the right. Buffy's eyes struggled to follow the slow moving object, but she tried her best. "That's enough," Gregory told her, jotting down a few notes while Buffy found her mother's face again. "See if she can squeeze your hand." Joyce nodded.

"Buffy? Do you feel me holding your hand? Do you feel me squeezing it? Can you try to squeeze my hand?" It took several minutes of cajoling before Buffy weakly squeezed her mother's hand.

"Try wiggling her toes," Gregory told her, moving to the foot of the bed and placing his hands on her feet.

"Can you wiggle your toes for me Buffy? Please baby, try. Just a little wiggle?" Joyce again coaxed Buffy, but this time Buffy couldn't do as she was asked. Buffy could only stare at her mother, that silly little grin still on her face, until her eyes closed once again.

"I'd say unresponsive is definitely off the table." The group looked up to see Quentin, Kate, and Mr. Giles standing in the previously closed doorway. "Your Slayer is truly amazing. Hopefully she can overcome this latest trial."

"She will," Giles said forcefully.

"Did you see that?" Gregory said in amazement, writing everything down in his notebook before looking at the Council members. "Maybe the Council should rethink the current policy of taking potentials away from their families. A Mother-Daughter bond that strong is incredibly powerful by itself." Quentin glared at the younger man, while Mr. Giles stared at the Slayer and her mother, who was currently cuddling with her daughter as best she could.

"I don't believe we were properly introduced," he said, striding over to them and holding out his hand. "Albert Giles, Grand Chancellor of the Watcher's Council."

"Joyce Summers," she introduced herself, taking his proffered hand. His grip was surprisingly firm, but gentle. "Mother and Grandmother." He smiled gently at her.

"How are your grandchildren today?" he asked, heading over to where the infants were sleeping. He gently picked up little Alex with practiced ease, cradling her in his chest. She opened her eyes and blinked lazily up at him.

"They're going to be getting hungry soon," she told him before turning to Gregory. "Is Buffy going to start producing breastmilk?"

"It's certainly not my area of expertise," he told her, "but if she hasn't produced any to this point I doubt she will now. Milk production is one of the changes a woman's body undergoes while pregnant in preparation for the child. From what I can tell your daughter's body actually changed very little with this pregnancy."

"Then we'll need to go shopping," Joyce said with a sigh, reluctant to leave the room.

"I'll go," Kate volunteered, "just make a list of what I need to get since I've never really been around babies before."

"That is very generous Kate," Albert said as he carefully lay Alex back down, "but I think this is the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with my children." He turned to Joyce. "Is there anything specific you wanted? Keep in mind I did have children and know exactly what they require." Veronica looked nervous while Giles looked like he was going to be sick. Albert turned back to his children but his eyes locked onto his son. "Well Rupert? You said you were going to support your Slayer? Are you ready to back up that statement?" They could see the thought of going to a children's store terrified him, but he straightened his shoulders and stood tall.

"Ready whenever you are Father," he said. Albert sped out of the room, his children rushing to keep up.

"Quite a scene," Quentin said, barely keeping the smile off his face. He turned to leave but was stopped by Gregory.

"Quentin," he asked, "I was wondering if we might begin to arrange transport to Sunnydale."

"So soon?" he asked dubiously.

"As Ms. Summers pointed out, there have already been two attempts on her life, one involving magic. Local law enforcement, though outstanding as they are, are in over their heads here. Sunnydale has the resources and personnel that can protect the Slayer while she recuperates."

"We could always move her to London," he told the room. "We have the resources and personnel."

"No!" Joyce said adamantly. She stood protectively in front of her daughter. "She's coming home to her family. And if you try to take her by force I will personally tell Spike, Angel, and Faith what you did and all of our families will storm your castle to get her back." The two had a staring contest.

"You are so much like you're daughter," he said at last before conceding. "Very well. Give me a list of everything you need and I will start arranging things. I assume you will need appropriate accommodations in Sunnydale as well?" he asked as the two men started down the hall, their voices fading as they got farther away.

"I've never seen him back down before," Kate commented.

"Rupert says Buffy gets her fiery temper from me," she told the former detective, "but there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect my family." Kate nodded, turning toward the cots where the babies were sleeping. "Would you like to hold them?" Joyce asked, seeing where she was looking.

"I've never really done anything with children," she started to say, but hope shined clearly in her eyes.

"Neither had Rupert but I coached him easily enough," she said, forcing the woman into the rocking chair. Soon Alex was in Kate's arms while Joyce held little Billy and the two women were chatting amicably.

* * *

"How was it?" Joyce called as Rupert and Veronica reentered the room, bags and bags in their hands.

"I have heard of Hell dimensions that are more civilized than that place," Giles told her, looking slightly pale. Veronica looked like she wanted to burst into laughter. Kate took that as her cue to leave, giving Alex back to her grandmother and shutting the door behind her as they piled their bags into a corner. Veronica looked back to make sure the door was shut before turning to her brother, a big grin on her face.

"Better get used to it Gramps," she said. He just fell into a chair.

"Please tell me you didn't say anything," he begged.

"No," she promised him, "but the way he was looking at you." Joyce laid the twins back in their cots and examined the purchases.

"We'll need more than this," she told them.

"We bought more," Rupert told her, "much more. Father insisted. We only brought the essentials in here. The rest are waiting in the car."

"Hmmm," Joyce replied, searching through the bags. "We need to make up some formula. These two are getting hungry."

"Formula?" Giles asked panicky. Dr. Mendoza offered some breastmilk the hospital kept on hand, but after a few days they decided it was too risky and decided to bring in their own formula. It was just too easy to tamper with the minimally guarded milk, especially when there was an active threat on Buffy and possibly her children.

"Come on Gramps," Veronica said, grabbing the formula and several bottles and pulling Rupert out the door. "There's instructions and everything." The twins, as if sensing their dinner was nearby, had started to cry softly, but Joyce knew it would soon turn into a wail. She picked up Billy and began walking him around the room, trying to soothe him until his dinner was ready. She passed Buffy, who was awake once more.

"Buffy?" she asked, but Buffy gave no indication of hearing her. Instead she turned to the child she held in her arms. "That's your mommy little guy. I know she loves you with all her heart, even though she can't show you right now. But it's okay. Grandma will take good care of you and your sister until mommy's better. And you'll meet all your Aunts and Uncles and they will just love you to pieces." She turned back as the door opened.

"Now what?" Rupert asked as he held two bottles in his hand. Veronica held another two, although it was unlikely they would drink even one whole bottle right now. They were given a small refrigerator where they could store the unused bottles.

"Sit down," Joyce told him, "and cradle your arms again. Hold him with one arm, then use your other hand to hold the bottle."

"What?" he looked close to panic again, but she ignored his distress and positioned Billy in his arms. He started to cry at the movement, which caused his twin to cry. "What do I do?" he asked, having no idea how to soothe the infant.

"Feed him," she said gently, testing the temperature of the bottle before giving it to him. Rupert held it uncomfortably, but Billy latched on and soon Giles found himself relaxing. Joyce quickly gathered Alex in her arms and she settled down quickly with her bottle. Veronica just watched them tenderly. "Just don't drop him or I will tell Buffy and she will kick your ass."

"Such language in front of the children," he said, relaxing enough to engage in the friendly banter.

"Just this once," she assured him. "You're a natural." He shrugged.

"At least you've had experience doing this," he told her. "You did a wonderful job raising Buffy and Dawn."

"Dawn," Joyce groaned. "I still don't know what to tell her."

"You'll think of something," he told her, settling back into the chair and watching as his grandson ate. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," he told her proudly. She smiled.

"Wait till we get into diapers." The panic was back in his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Are you sure this is where Giles said to meet him Will?" Xander asked as he pulled the car into the General Aviation parking lot. "This is for like private planes."

"This is what he said to me yesterday," Willow replied from the backseat. "Sunnydale General Aviation Terminal. Five thirty P.M."

"The Watcher's Council has private plains," Anya told them. "Maybe he was allowed to use one to come back."

"Because he's always been so in with the Watcher's crowd," Xander said sarcastically as another car pulled up beside them. Tara and Dawn gave a little wave before stepping out of the second car.

"He did sound a little weird on the phone," Willow said, as they left their car too. They gathered at the hood of Xander's car.

"Probably just happy he managed to ruin the last day of my vacation," Dawn grumbled. "He couldn't have waited till tomorrow when mom gets home? I was doing fine on my own."

"And we'll be sure to mention that to your mom," Tara added. Xander looked around, seeing lights on in the building.

"I'll go ask them. Be right back," he said. He came back a few minutes later. "He said there was a plane that was supposed to get here at five-thirty, but they had to divert around a weather system and he doesn't know how long that will be. He said to make ourselves comfortable and wait."

"We could go get some sandwiches and have a picnic," Tara suggested pointing to the small grassy area on the side of the parking lot. The sun was just starting to go down so it wasn't too hot.

"That sounds good," Anya agreed, pulling out a small notebook. "That will give me time to itemize Joyce's buying trip and determine which expenses can be written off." Dawn rolled her eyes.

"You don't have receipts yet Anya. How can you itemize?"

"I am very good at guessing," she said honestly.

"How did you become the accountant for mom's business?" Dawn asked suspiciously.

"Like Rupert, Joyce has discovered the benefit of having someone overly qualified check her books and tell her how to proactively spend her money."

"Translation," Xander said, putting his arm around his wife. "She got her hands on Joyce's books and your mom hasn't been able to get them back." Dawn nodded at this, as it was a very Anya thing to do.

"Now that extra week you made her spend. I think that you should pay for that week yourself, since the buying trip was technically over." Dawn rolled her eyes again, quickly volunteering to help Tara get some sandwiches. "Was it something I said?" Anya asked, while Willow was trying to smother her laughter and Xander just pulled her in for a hug.

"I love you Mrs. Harris," he said, kissing her gently. She responded in kind, leaving Willow to dig in the trunk for the blankets they always kept back there. Soon the blankets were laid out and Xander and Anya were cuddling contentedly while Willow watched the sun sink lower to the ground. Tara and Dawn quickly returned and talked casually as they ate, enjoyed their impromptu picnic. They were just about to discuss the merits of getting ice cream when the ambulance pulled up beside them.

"Is that Ben?" Willow asked, standing up quickly. The others followed suit. The driver went into the building, reemerging a few minutes later. After a short conversation the ambulance driver hopped in their vehicle to wait. Ben saw the Scoobies and walked over.

"What's up Doc?" Xander asked, to which Ben just rolled his eyes.

"That's still about as funny as the first time you said it," he complained. Xander grinned wickedly while the girls looked sympathetic to his plight.

"I thought you were going camping with your friends this weekend?" Willow asked. Xander had broken his arm a few months ago and just had the cast removed last week. Willow had gone with him to get the cast off and she and Ben had chatted while Xander was having some X-Rays done.

"So did I," he sulked, "but when the boss says you have a pickup, you lose all your plans quickly. Such is the life of a Sunnydale doctor." Willow laughed while Ben frowned. "Usually it's the other way around you know. People want to leave Sunnydale to recover, not come here for it."

"So that's what's going on here?" Tara asked.

"Yep. Which reminds me," he turned to the group thoughtfully. "Have any of you ever heard of a Dr. Gregory Sullivan?" They shook their heads. "He's the attending physician of the patient we're picking up and he asked for me specifically. I've never heard of him so I looked him up. Apparently he's licensed in England."

"Giles is coming back from England," Dawn said, slightly panicky now.

"That's not all," he continued. "They're preparing a ward for this patient's arrival. Not just a room, a whole floor of a ward. Whoever this person is, they're important. And apparently they know me well enough to ask for me by name. My boss was not happy about that."

"We always ask for you by name," Anya said, turning thoughtful, "but that's just because you know our secret and we can tell you when giant worms spit venom through their nostrils at us without looking at us like we're crazy."

"And on that lovely visual," Xander started, but stopped when another car rolled into the parking lot. It was black, with tinted windows. "Is anyone else getting major not good vibes from that?"

"Major Council vibes," Willow agreed, as the driver got out of the car and entered the small building.

"Watchers?" Tara asked.

"Watchers," Xander agreed. A second later the ambulance honked and Ben looked apologetic.

"I've got to go meet my secret admirer." He left, the group quickly following him. Ben hoped in the passenger seat, just as the lights flashed on and a plane landed. A ground crew worker headed out to the group, fumbling for the right key on his keyring.

"Only the ambulance can go onto the tarmac," he said as he unlocked the gate. "The rest of you have to wait on this side of the fence." The Watcher got back into his car, patiently waiting, while the Scoobies hurried to the fence line. The plane rolled to a stop five hundred feet away. Once the engines were off, the crewman opened the gate, letting the ambulance through before closing it again.

"Do you think Giles is okay?" Dawn asked, scared that something had happened to the man she thought of as her father. Xander gave her a quick one armed hug.

"Giles is one of the toughest guys I know. He's fine." As if to prove the point, the door to the plane opened and Giles stuck his head out. He looked around before going back inside, only to reemerge carrying a small bag a few seconds later. He had a short conversation with Ben before heading over to the fence. The crewman opened the smaller gate so people could get through.

"Giles!" the girls cried out in unison as the reached to hug him. He found himself engulfed, but was grinning when they finally let him go. Xander casually strode over, giving him a big manly handshake before pulling him into his own hug.

"We thought something had happened to you," he said, wiping away his tears quickly.

"I'm fine," he reassured them, but they could see the exhaustion and worry on his face.

"Umm. Giles," Dawn started. "Why do you have a diaper bag?" she asked, staring at the small bag he brought with him.

"That's a rather long story," he told them, before handing the bag to Dawn. "Did you bring both cars like I asked?"

"Yep," Willow told him. "There's plenty room for you and any books you decided to come back with."

"Perfect," he said absently, looking at the cars for a moment before turning back to the plane. "I'll be right back," he told them, jogging back to the plane.

"What do you think that was about?" Tara asked as he climbed the stairs once more.

"Maybe he's having another midlife crisis?" Anya said helpfully. The girls started picking up after their picnic. Giles came back out, this time carrying two car seat bases.

"Are those what I think they are?" Xander asked in horror. The girls turned around quickly.

"Oh my God," Willow shrieked as she ran to Giles. "Giles. What's going on here?"

"Apparently you have to mount these contraptions in the car before you can place the car seat safely inside," he said, heading to the cars. "One for each I'm thinking." Willow shook her head.

"We don't have any kids that need car seats," Willow argued. "Dawn is the youngest one here and she's an adult." He was about to reply when an older woman approached the group.

"They are about to move her," she told him, handing him another diaper bag. "All the arrangements have been made."

"Do you have a new wife and kid?" Anya asked bluntly. "Cause I gotta say I liked the car from your last midlife crisis better. Send them back and get a car." They looked at each other.

"Anya," Giles groaned as he returned his attention to hooking in the base.

"Once you've figured it out come find me. I'll be inside." He nodded and she walked back to the plane. Willow and Tara took pity on him and between the three of them they soon figured out how to attach the base. They went over and repeated the procedure in the other car, casually throwing a diaper bag next to each base.

"Giles?" Dawn asked weakly, staring at the ambulance that had just pulled away from the plane. It stopped at the gate briefly then was on its way, lights flashing brightly. "I thought I just saw mom get into the ambulance." Giles could feel every eye on him as he finished installing the second base. He turned and gave her a reassuring look.

"She's fine Dawn," he said simply. They turned as another man walked out of the plane. He walked over to the group regally, studying them intently.

"Rupert," he said commandingly, "I have business in L.A. tonight, but I will see you before I leave." He looked at each of them once more before getting into the Council car and driving away. Rupert closed his eyes.

"What fun," he said sarcastically, before turning back to the group. "Can you help with the luggage?" he asked them as their bags were being piled up next to the gate. "There's just one more thing we need to get than we can be off." The Scoobies nodded as Giles once again headed for the plane.

"This is Mom's suitcase," Dawn said worriedly as they grabbed the bags. They recognized Giles's bags and there were two they have never seen before. "What's going on?" Nobody had any answers for her though, they simple loaded the bags into the back of the cars. They waited back at the gate when the car was finally loaded and watched as Giles came back down from the plane once again, a baby carrier held in his hands. He handed it to Xander, who took it with shaking hands as he went back to the stairs.

"Please tell me that's a teddy bear in there," Xander said, refusing to look inside the carrier. The girls had no such qualms, and soon a chorus of 'Oohs' and 'Ahh's' filled the night. Giles took a second carrier from the woman coming down the stairs and together they walked briskly toward the group.

"Everyone," Giles called getting everyone's attention as the second round of 'Oohs' started when they saw the second baby. "I would like you to meet my sister Veronica. Veronica, this is Xander, Anya, Tara, Willow, and Dawn." Veronica shook hands with each of them politely.

"Oh," Anya spoke up, "So you didn't kidnap some children for your midlife crisis. These are your sister's children. And you are helping because she clearly can't afford either the time or the money required to be a good mother." Everyone was stunned into silence.

"You must be Anya," Veronica said after the shock wore off. "Rupert has told me so much about you." Anya smiled big.

"He talks about me," she told the group proudly. They just groaned.

"Ahh, yes," he said, pulling his glasses off and cleaning them. "And no, these are not my sister's children. Xander, if you could please put the carrier down for a moment." He did so, looking confused. "The child you were so recently trying not to notice is Alexandra Joyce Summers." Xander's hands came up to his mouth in shock. He realized it was a good thing he put the car seat down or he would have dropped it. The girls were in a state of shock as well, looking between the baby and Giles. "And this is William Giles Summers," he said proudly, holding up the car seat so they could look at the little form sleeping inside. He handed the carrier to his sister, stepping closer to Dawn and pulling her in front of him. "When she was in New York your mother found someone," he said, looking her directly in the eye but speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "She found your sister. Buffy's alive and we just brought her home."

* * *

The ride to the hospital was done in silence as everyone processed what Giles had said. They arrived and were directed to the top floor of the East wing. The floor wasn't that big, only a handful of rooms on each side of the hallway, but, just like Ben said, it was all theirs. It only took them a minute to find Joyce. She was waiting in the hallway, looking through the windows into one of the rooms. She turned when she heard them. "Oh Dawn," she embraced her youngest, both women had tears running down their cheeks.

"Is it true?" Dawn asked after a minute. Joyce nodded, leading them down the hallway to the window she was looking into. Ben and another man were hooking Buffy up to several pieces of equipment. The unknown man was frowning while Ben just looked shocked. "What happened? Where has she been all this time?"

"We're still trying to figure that out sweetie," Joyce explained, leading them into an adjoining room. Giles and Veronica were there taking the children out of the car seats. "Gregory wanted someone from pediatrics to examine them," she told Giles. "Just to make sure they handled the trip okay."

"Of course," he said, carefully cradling Alex. "How is Buffy?" Joyce felt all eyes on her.

"She didn't travel well. He's concerned with her pulse and blood pressure, and she hasn't woken up yet like he thought she would."

"Mom?" Dawn's voice sounded very small. "Are these Buffy's kids?"

"Yes," Joyce told her, suddenly sounding extremely exhausted. There was a stunned silence.

"Are you trying to get us all killed?" Anya asked, deadly serious.

"Anya!" Xander choked out. He was looking very pale and looked like he might be ready to faint. Anya looked at her husband and sighed loudly.

"I'm sorry. What I meant to say was these are very beautiful children. I'm sure I will be thinking of them constantly as every demon in the world comes to Sunnydale to kill them and anyone protecting them." Nobody knew how to respond to that so the group just stood there in shocked silence.

"Who is their father?" Willow asked quietly after a few moments.

"Sit down," Giles told them, "and we'll tell you everything we know." They did and they spent the next hour explaining what happened to the Scoobies. Everyone had tears in their eyes when they were done.

"Can I hold them?" Dawn asked meekly. Joyce nodded and helped Dawn get into position. Once she was ready she carefully handed Billy to her. He blinked up at her. "He's so cute," she said not taking her eyes off him.

"He's going to be hungry soon," Joyce told her, and soon enough he started to cry. Joyce pulled out one of the bottles from the diaper bag. "Do you want to feed him?" Dawn nodded emphatically and soon was feeding the baby like a pro. Willow was shooting happy glances at Alex, who also started crying at the same time her brother did. "Would you like to hold her?" Joyce asked.

"Yes please," Willow said excitedly. She expertly took Alex out, settling her in her lap as she reached for the bottle Joyce handed her. "I used to babysit a lot," she said at their disbelieving looks. "Before I stated to help save the world."

"Everyone's got to have a hobby," Xander said, grinning at the sight of the infants as he slowly overcame his shock. Tara was hovering around Willow, letting Alex hold onto her finger as she fed, while Anya was inching closer to Dawn now that the children weren't crying any more. Joyce watched her family sadly before speaking.

"I know it will be dangerous," she said, "Giles said demons come after the children of Slayers with a fiery passion. We don't know if Buffy will ever fully recover from this, physically or mentally. I know you've all stayed here to help protect Sunnydale and defend the Hellmouth, and that's admirable, but I would understand if you want to leave." She paused and turned to each one of her kids. "Willow, you and Tara are graduating from college this year, and Xander and Anya just got married and are ready to start their own family. And Dawn," she looked lovingly at her youngest daughter, "you'll be going to college soon. You all have your own lives to lead. I understand if this is one danger too much." Tara looked up after her speech.

"Joyce," she said kindly, "We don't stay because we have to. We stay because we're a family. And our family has just grown by two. I'll stay."

"Me too," Willow added.

"I'll second that," Xander said. "It will take more than a few demon attacks to run me out of town." Anya sighed.

"They are kinda cute," she admitted, reaching out to tickle a little foot, "even though they named the girl after Xander."

"What?" Xander exclaimed, before he got a big goofy grin. He moved to look at the girl lying in Willow's arms. Meanwhile she was staring at the boy.

"William? Will," she asked tentatively. Giles nodded as tears filled her eyes. "Who named them?" she asked.

"Buffy did," Joyce told her. "Just after going into labor she came back. Just long enough to name them. That was five days ago."

"How is Buffy?" Dawn asked, looking up from the baby she was holding. He had finished drinking from the bottle and was slowly blinking his eyes. Joyce know he would be asleep soon and went to pick him up to burp him, only to have Giles beat her to it.

"She was grievously wounded during the umm... take down," Giles said, gently rocking the child as he talked. "If it had been anybody else they would have died. As it was, she did suffer an injury to her spinal column. We still don't know the full extent of that injury, or if her Slayer healing will be able to overcome it. As of right now she has no feeling below her waist, and we're not entirely sure where her feeling comes back on her chest. She can move her arms and fingers, so we are pretty certain movement in her upper body will return."

"Mentally she's not much better," Joyce told them, watching as Willow burped Alex. "She'll respond to me and no one else, and that's after a lot of encouraging. She can follow basic commands, which is a good sign, but again it takes a lot of time and encouraging and sometimes she just stops in the middle and drifts off. She's sleeping a lot, which I am told is normal."

"Does she know she has kids?" Dawn asked innocently.

"I don't know," Joyce admitted. "I hope on some level she does since she named them, but I just don't know."

"So we'll have to be their moms?" Dawn asked. Joyce nodded. "Cool."

"I'll second that," Xander said again before looking at Joyce. "So what do we need? Clothes? Diapers? I can go get diapers."

"We have enough of those for right now," she told the young man, "but what we really need is a nursery. Most people have nine months to prepare one."

"And I have nine hours. I'm on it," he said. "I can easily convert one of the guest rooms into a nursery, but I don't think you want them that far away. We might need to shuffle rooms around a bit."

"I'm good moving mine down to the guest room," Dawn volunteered, "and then you can take mine for a nursery."

"Hmmm," Xander said, thinking out loud. "You would still have Buffy's room between yours and Dawn's." He paused for a moment. "Is Buffy?"

"She will be coming home with us," Joyce said determinedly. "Soon."

"So I'll probably need to make some basic changes around the house too. Are we talking wheelchair or crutches?"

"Wheelchair," Giles said grimly, "at least at first. Even if she does get full feeling back tomorrow it will be a while before she will walk again."

"Let me see what I can come up with," he told them. "I'll get back with you tomorrow morning." They nodded. "C'mon ladies. Let's go get some shuteye. Busy day tomorrow."

"Oh Xander," Giles called as they were leaving the room. "Can you give a ride to Veronica? She'll be staying with me for a few days."

"Speaking of which," Xander said, turning back to face Giles. "We never did get why your previously nonexistent sister is suddenly here." He turned questioningly to the corner where Veronica was quietly watching the family reunion.

"I am Faith's new Watcher," she said proudly.

"What a coincidence," Xander said. Giles looked at him curiously.

"Faith was just here," Willow told them. "Said she had a feeling she was needed out here so she and Daniel did a road trip. They went down to L.A. to see if Angel needs any help, but she said she would stop by on her way back."

"If the demonic population is going to attack the children like you think," Joyce said, "having a Slayer around might be a smart idea."

"We'll make sure she sees you before she goes," Willow told her. "Both of them." Joyce smiled.

"What about Spike?" Dawn asked. "He would want to know about this. He was the last one to accept her death." The others looked uncomfortable, but Giles sighed.

"Spike?" Veronica thought out loud. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"I'll explain later," Giles promised her before turning to the others. "If you see Spike tell him to come here, but don't go looking for him. If this threat is as real as everyone says,"

"It is," Anya interrupted.

"Then we need to develop a strategy to deal with these demons," he finished, shooting a glare at the young woman. "If Spike doesn't come tonight I'll head over to his place tomorrow and explain." Everyone nodded and turned to go except Dawn.

"Mom?" she asked quietly, "Can I stay here tonight? With you and Buffy?"

"Of course," she said, holding her youngest tight. The others quietly left the room. "In fact I think they're done with whatever they were doing in there. You can tell her all about the last four years that she's missed."

"Can she hear me?" she asked as she followed her mother out of the room and into Buffy's room. Giles stayed behind with the children. Eventually they would move them into the same room like before, but they wanted to make sure Buffy was settled first.

"I'd like to think she can," Joyce answered. She led Dawn to Buffy's bedside, explaining the various machines she was hooked up to and their purpose.

"She really needs all this?" Dawn asked, looking at her normally strong sister looking so fragile.

"Right now she does," Joyce said, grabbing Buffy's hand and motioning Dawn to do the same on the other side of the bed. "Who knows what tomorrow will bring." She turned her attention to Buffy. "Buffy? It's Mom. Someone came to visit you." She nodded encouragingly to Dawn, who squeezed Buffy's hand and began to speak.

"Hey Buffy. Guess it's been a long time since you heard my voice huh? Well it's a good thing you're not going anywhere because I've got four years of catching up to do." Joyce smiled as Dawn started telling her sister everything that had happened since she had been gone. She sank gratefully into a nearby chair and let Dawn's voice chase away the demons.

* * *

Rupert groaned as he stretched his back, his tight muscles protesting the movement. He glanced at Joyce, who was smiling down at her granddaughter. A pediatric doctor finally arrived and after a quick examination proclaimed the twins handled the trip wonderfully. While Dawn was talking to Buffy, they moved the cots and everything they would need into Buffy's room. Just in time too, as the twins chose that moment to wake up hungry. Rupert and Joyce were ready though, each jumping into action like they had done this a hundred times before.

Dawn had fallen asleep in the chair next to Buffy's bed, her hand never leaving her sister's. "I am going to make some of that infernal brew you American's love so much," he told Joyce softly, so as not to wake any of the sleeping children. "Would you care for some?"

"I'd love a cup of coffee," Joyce said, settling herself in a chair next to the cots. They were still wary about leaving any of them alone, especially since there was another attempt on Buffy's life just before leaving New York. It was the deciding factor in moving back to Sunnydale so quickly. Gregory would have liked to wait a few more days for Buffy to get stronger, but the danger was just too great in a city that was unprepared for the types of dangers Buffy brought.

Giles nodded and quietly left the room, making sure the door was securely shut before he walked down the hallway. He made his way to the nurse's station and pointed at the coffee pot. The nurse nodded at him before concentrating on the charts she was working on. Even though Buffy was the only patient on the ward, there was still a nurse on site twenty-four hours a day. Giles dumped the old coffee, before replacing the filter and adding fresh grinds. Soon the smell of fresh coffee permeated the room. Giles took the first cup, sipping it as the rest of the pot filled up. He was interrupted by Spike entering the waiting room.

"Is Niblet okay?" Spike asked him immediately. Giles sighed. As much as they would need Spike, and as much as he has done for them over the years, he still didn't want to have this conversation with the vampire. "I stopped by to check on her before bed, like I do every night, only to find the Scoobies there in tears. The whelp told me to come here. What's happened?"

"Dawn is fine," he started, "but there is something I need to tell you." He took Spike to the corner of the room, sat him down, and proceeded to tell the story once more. Spike's face went from panicky to pale to hopeful and finally ended on concerned. He stood up and ran down the hallway. The nurse looked up, ready to call security, but Giles shook his head. He poured a second cup of coffee and made his way back to the room.

The door was wide open, Spike standing inside the doorway just taking in the room. "Hello Spike," Joyce said tiredly from her chair. It was enough to break through his shock. He looked toward the two sleeping sisters but made his way over to Joyce.

"You look tired pet," he told her.

"I am tired," she answered honestly. Giles made his way over and handed her the second cup of coffee, which she took gratefully. Spike meanwhile was looking at the two sleeping infants next to her. He leaned over and smelt the air above them.

"Stop that," Giles complained immediately. Spike stood back.

"They smell like her," he told them, his eyes never leaving their sleeping forms. He shook his head and turned back to them. "Probably be another week or so before they start developing their own scent. Another month before her scent is off them, assuming she won't be doing the mothering. I can smell you and Joyce on them. You two have been taking care of them?" Joyce nodded.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Giles asked, frowning slightly at Spike's behavior.

"Demon girl didn't tell you?" Spike asked.

"I know they'll be hunted from Council record," Giles said, "and Anya hinted that was the case, but she didn't elaborate."

"Hmmph," Spike said before pulling out a pack of cigarettes and shaking one into his hand. Joyce raised an eyebrow and glared at him, but he just sniffed it then threw it back in the pack.

"Demons have prophecies too," he told them, "and the main players in our worst ones are the kids of Slayers. Kill any Slayer's kids before they can do their part and the world doesn't end horribly for demons."

"Are there that many demons who still follow ancient traditions?" Giles asked, making a mental list of things to research. Spike shrugged.

"A few," he said, "mostly the Big Bads who stay hidden or a couple of weird religious demons who worship the really Big Bads. But even those that don't hold to prophecy will want to kill them simply because of who they are. The scent of Slayer blood puts demons into a frenzy, especially young ones who can't control themselves. Combine that with the innocence of childhood blood and it is a combination most demons and vampires can't resist."

"Can you resist it?" Giles asked carefully, moving between the children and the vampire. Spike nodded.

"I've resisted the pull of this Slayer's blood for so long it's in now my nature to protect it, and any that smell like it. I won't hurt them," he promised. Giles nodded. "But it's not safe for them here. Eventually word will get out and every demon and vampire who wants to build their street cred will be coming here to off them and their mother. This is a public building. Anything can get in."

"Xander's already working on converting one of the rooms into a nursery. Hopefully in a few days we'll take them home."

"Sooner the better," Spike told them. "Buffy too?" Joyce nodded. "You might want to look into securing the perimeter better. Maybe Red and Glinda can do some wards to keep nasties away."

"We haven't had any problems there," Giles reminded him.

"I know," he agreed, "but there was nothing worth risking there before. It was the center of the Slayer's power, even if she wasn't there herself. Most demons wouldn't risk coming under your wrath, especially with nothing to gain from it. Move them back there and they suddenly have reasons again."

"I'll look into it," he promised. Spike nodded thoughtfully.

"Angel might have a couple books we borrowed from the Council that can help." Giles looked at him in disbelief. Spike scoffed. "Oh come on. It was over a hundred years ago, back when Peaches first got his shiny new soul. You think the rest of us just walked out on him without trying everything we could think of to get him back?"

"You were responsible for the burning of the Council buildings in London?" Giles asked, outraged. "Many of the books we lost were irreplaceable. Centuries of knowledge just gone."

"We were evil," he reminded them. "I still am. Besides the books were lost to the Council. They were just borrowed instead of burned." Giles rolled his eyes. "We tried the Gypsies that cast the curse in the first place. When they proved unhelpful we moved on to the next thing we thought could help. We didn't realize he'd be such a ponce or we would've just staked him ourselves and spared ourselves lots of headaches."

"We'd be grateful for any help you can give," Joyce interrupted, not in the mood to listen to the squabble right now.

"I'd do anything for any one of the Summers women," Spike gently reminded her. She smiled.

"That reminds me of something," Giles said suddenly, cleaning his glasses as he spoke. "Have your feelings for Buffy changed at all while she's been gone?" he asked.

"Not one bit Watcher," Spike told him. "I love her." Giles nodded, expecting that reply. He put his glasses on and stood straighter as he faced the vampire.

"I won't even pretend to understand how or why you have feelings for her, but in the past I have supported her decisions regarding your presence, even when I didn't understand or agree with them. She wasn't a child any longer and deserved the right to make her own choices. But that has changed. Right now she is more helpless than her children. She is dependent on others for everything, and she may stay that way for the rest of her life."

"You can't scare me away Rupert," Spike said honestly, looking back at Buffy's still form for a minute. "I took care of Dru for over a hundred years. I can take care of Buffy."

"I'll take care of my daughter!" Joyce exclaimed forcefully.

"Of course Mum," Spike backed down, "but I'll be there any time you need help." Joyce nodded but Rupert wasn't finished yet.

"I haven't staked you in the past because it was clear Buffy wanted to give you a chance to be a better person. And as amazed as I am to find myself admitting this, you have risen to the challenge admirably. But that was without Buffy's constant presence. I know about vampires and their obsessions. I'm warning you now. If you ever try to hurt Buffy, or take advantage of her in any way, I will stake you myself."

"My behavior was always good enough for Buffy," Spike protested. "I never fell beneath her standards."

"And now you'll have to meet mine," Giles deadpanned. Spike looked over at Joyce for help, but she wasn't budging on this issue.

"A father protecting his daughter," Spike said, looking Giles square in the eye. Joyce flinched, but Giles held Spike's gaze. Spike was the one to look away. "Fine," he conceded, "but I'm still new to this good thing. If I'm messing up you have to tell me before you get stake happy."

"That sounds reasonable," Giles nodded. Spike turned for the door.

"If you don't need me right now, I think I'll go patrol. See if any new players are in town. I'll be back before dawn," he promised, leaving with a swirl of his duster. Joyce turned to face Rupert.

"Do you think he could hurt her?" she asked wearily. Giles sighed.

"I don't think he would intentionally hurt her anymore," he admitted, "but even humans can hurt the ones they love the most. Especially in difficult times like this." He took her untouched coffee away from her and pushed her toward one of the other beds in the room. "Why don't you get some sleep? I'll watch over them tonight." She nodded, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	6. Chapter 6

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Joyce awoke to the soft sounds of giggling. Smiling, she saw her family gathered around the cots. They were passing the babies between each other, Anya pouting slightly when she reluctantly handed a baby to Tara to hold. She stretched, her muscles relaxed after a night spent in an almost real bed. "Good morning," Willow called out softly.

"We sent Giles next door to get some sleep," Xander told her as she joined the group. He held out a cup of coffee which she gratefully took. "He looked dead on his feet."

"And since he was standing next to Spike that's saying something," Dawn added. Joyce took a small sip of the still hot coffee.

"What are you all doing here so early?" she asked them, taking an even larger sip.

"Nursery plans," Xander said, handing the infant he was holding over to Anya's grabbing hands. He pulled out several pieces of paper from his back pocket, smoothing them out on one of the tables. "I've already talked to Giles, and he agrees, but he said the final decision is yours since it is your house technically."

"Xander," she interrupted his ramblings. She tried to focus on the paper in front of her, but the lines kept blurring. "English please."

"Right," he said, pulling out one of the papers. "Since it is your house, you have the master bedroom, a prime piece of real estate that has a lovely corner view." She nodded, even as he pointed to the corner of what she realized was a roughly drawn floor plan of the house. "Now Buffy and Dawn's room are on your side of the house, not quite as big as yours but larger than all of ours." Again she nodded, taking another sip of coffee. "Giles, as the patriarch of our family, has the second largest bedroom. It's directly across from yours, another corner room."

"Xander," she interrupted again. "We all know this. What is your idea?"

"We move Giles," he said quickly before releasing the breath he was holding. "Ben said Buffy will need a lot of room when she comes home. A lot of equipment too, at least at first. If we move Giles into one of the guest rooms, we can convert his room into Buffy's room and Buffy's room into the nursery." He showed her his plans on the paper, and this time they made sense. "Plus your room shares walls with the other two. I can easily knock out the wall and put a couple doors so you can have easy access from wherever you are."

"What is this?" she asked, pointing to the area where her master bathroom was. Xander had done something to that area, but she couldn't figure out what he had written.

"Well," Xander started uncomfortably, "Ben said she would need help doing… everything," he was blushing slightly. "I thought it might be a good idea to enlarge the bathroom and have those two rooms share, you know, since she'll need help with those things." He was bright red by the time he was done.

"Mom?" Dawn asked curiously. "What's he talking about?" The girls were blushing by now too, but they were in Xander and Ben's initial discussion and helped Xander formulate his latest thought. Joyce sighed, just as a nurse walked in the door. She nodded at everyone before heading over to Buffy's bed. "What's she doing?" Dawn asked as the nurse began to reposition Buffy's body before drawing the curtain around the bed.

"Buffy needs a lot of help right now," Joyce told Dawn. The rest of the group kept their gazes down as they talked, having heard most of it before from Ben, but for Dawn this was all new. The nurse was quietly going about her business, not talking to Buffy like the nurses did in New York, but Joyce knew what was happening by the equipment the nurse brought with her. She turned back to her daughter. "She can't do anything on her own right now."

"Isn't that what the machines are for?" she asked. "Don't they help her?"

"They're helping her," she told her daughter, "but there are things a machine can't do." Joyce took a deep breath before continuing. "She has to be moved every couple of hours to keep from getting sores on her skin."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Dawn said, before asking. "That's all they're helping with right?"

"No," Joyce admitted, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. "She needs help with everything. She needs help bathing and dressing. Eating and going to the bathroom." Dawn's eyes got wide and she looked over at the curtained area.

"That's what the nurse is doing?" Joyce nodded.

"And when we take her home I'll need to help her with all of that."

"You mean we," Willow spoke up. "We will need to help her with all of that." Joyce shook her head.

"I can't ask you to do all this."

"You're not asking," Xander said. "We're volunteering."

"Remember that whole family concept," Tara added.

"Thank you," Joyce told them again, suddenly teary eyed.

"Besides," Anya pointed out directly, "We're already bringing two infants into the home. What's one more?" Everyone looked down at that comment. What she said was essentially true, but they weren't sure how to respond. At that moment the door opened and Gregory walked in.

"I hope everyone had a good night," he greeted, meeting the gang for the first time. "And when you said family you weren't kidding." Joyce quickly introduced everyone. Gregory shook everyone's hands before reaching for Buffy's chart. He ducked behind the curtain, and they could hear the low murmur of conversation between him and the nurse. Ben walked into the room quickly after.

"Joyce," he went straight to her. "I appreciate the faith you put in me, but I have no experience with these kind of cases. There's an excellent spinal surgeon I can recommend who can help you better than I can."

"Ben," she turned to him," Dr. Sullivan is the best physician the Council has. If he needs a specialist, the Council can arrange the best in the field within a day. What I don't need is another specialist. What I need is someone I trust." Ben sighed just as the curtain was pulled back. The nurse took her leave while Gregory joined the group. "As much as I'm liking Gregory, he's still loyal to the Council and I just can't blindly trust anyone from the Council. But I do trust you Ben. I trust you with the health of my family. I'm just asking you to look after my oldest now too."

"I'll do my best," Ben sighed but agreed.

"Think of it as a wonderful learning experience," Gregory smiled at the younger doctor as he rejoined them. "I am at your beck and call, for a little while at least. Anything you want to know I'll do my best to show you." He turned back to Joyce. "It seems Buffy has calmed down somewhat after the trip. Her vitals stabilized during the night and have remained constant. I was hoping that she would have awoken sometime during the night, but I suppose that is just wishful thinking. The anesthesia we gave her would have kept the Slayer unconscious for several hours, but a normal person unconscious for several days. It will be a good test to see if her Slayer metabolism is working or not."

"So if she was awake right now that would be a good sign?" Dawn asked, her eyes straying over to the bed. Everyone looked over to see Buffy's eyes blinking open sluggishly, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"That's our girl," Gregory smiled before making a notation in the chart. "I wouldn't expect too much from her right now. Even a fit Slayer would be groggy for a few hours after that drug was given to them. Feel free to talk to her, but don't be disappointed if she just stares at the ceiling." He smiled at them, hung Buffy's chart back on her bed, then left the room. Joyce turned back to the plans Xander was showing her.

"I agree with whatever you think is best," she said tiredly. "Just get it done quickly. We're exposed here and I don't like it. I want everybody home soon."

"I'm on it," he said, folding the papers up and putting them back in his pocket. "I'll get a couple guys from the crew and we'll get started right away." Joyce nodded.

"Ben, perhaps you can go with Xander and help with whatever additional equipment or space my daughter will need." He looked down, feeling chastised for talking about a patient without their consent, but Joyce just smiled. The girls stood up, ready to help in whatever way they could. "By the way, where is Veronica?" Everybody looked at each other.

"Oops," Xander said when he realized they had forgotten about her.

* * *

"Hey Joyce," Ben stuck his head in the room quickly. "I have a Kate Lockley on the phone for you." Everyone looked at Joyce.

"I'll be there in a second," she told him. He nodded and ducked out of the room. The girls looked at her curiously.

"Kate's involved in this?" Tara asked.

"She got involved once they realized there was a demonic aspect to The Ring," she told them. Tara nodded and shared a quick glance with Willow. As soon as they went home that first night Willow had gotten online and researched The Ring. It left them all sick to their stomach, but with a much better idea of what Buffy went through. Joyce sighed and gripped Buffy's hand harder. "Buffy? Baby. I need to go for a minute. I want you to keep trying. Breathe in and breathe out. Deep breathes." She squeezed her hand and shared a quick glance with Gregory before leaving the room. Buffy, who was focusing on her mother intently, continued to stare at the space she just left.

"How's it going?" Xander asked as he led Giles and Veronica into the room. They had spent the day working on the house while the girls spent the day at the hospital. Willow growled and shut the spell book she had been reading.

"It's not. There's nothing in these books that we haven't already done," she grumbled, letting her head fall onto the closed book. Tara closed her book also.

"How's the remodel coming?" Tara asked. "And where's Dawn and Anya."

"They are picking out paint color for the nursery," he told them.

"Already?" Willow asked perking up a bit. "You just started a few hours ago." Xander shrugged.

"I told you the nursery wouldn't be that hard. It lost some closet space when I added the door, but I think it works for right now. If we can get a painting party together after dinner, we can start shopping for furniture tomorrow."

"And you're letting Dawn and Anya pick out the color?" Willow asked, seeing possible disasters. Xander shrugged.

"By the time the kids are old enough to notice it will be time to change it anyway." He grinned at them.

"And how is the other project?" Xander's smile fell.

"That will probably take another two or three days," he admitted. "Giles has all of his stuff moved out so we can start working tomorrow, and Ben ordered all the special stuff we'll need and it should start arriving in a day or two, but it will still be a few days to actually remodel the bathroom. Oh and the water will be out during that time so we need to make arrangements for Dawn and Joyce to stay somewhere else."

"I doubt Joyce will be leaving the hospital until Buffy and the twins do," Willow said, "but she and Dawn are more than welcome to stay with us."

"Sleepover at Willow's?" Dawn asked, coming into the room with Anya. Anya went immediately to the cots where the twins were sleeping.

"Just while I work on the bathroom," Xander told her. "The water will be turned off until we get that sorted out." Dawn nodded.

"Find anything?" she asked, pointing to the spell books that were piled on one of the spare beds.

"Nothing we didn't know before," Tara told her, letting the frustration into her voice. Just then Joyce came back into the room. She looked pale. "Joyce?"

"That was Kate," she repeated, staring at Giles intently. "The Medical Examiner is ready to release the body," she shuddered slightly, "but they need someone to take custody and make arrangements."

"The Council can do that if you prefer," Giles told her. She shook her head.

"She's family. She's coming home." Giles nodded, expecting this reaction.

"I can go," Veronica volunteered. She had been watching the group interact and felt slightly out of place, but here was finally something she could help with. She stared at Joyce intently. "I can bring her back home. To her family." Joyce nodded.

"Thank you," she told her. Veronica smiled and left the room to make arrangements.

"I can take care of arrangements here," Giles volunteered. Joyce nodded gratefully.

"Mom?" Dawn asked. "What's going on?" Joyce looked around at her kids.

"Buffy was pregnant with a third child," she told them. "She died while still in the womb, from injuries from the initial attack." Everyone paled at the news.

"What is her name?" Dawn asked quietly. Joyce shook her head.

"She doesn't have one," she admitted.

"We should think of one before she gets here," Dawn said. Joyce smiled at her youngest.

"I think that's a good idea," she said, giving her a small hug.

"Mom?" Dawn asked, "Can I spend the night here with you again?"

"Doesn't somebody have school in the morning?"

"Yeah," Dawn argued, "but it's just a few more days till summer vacation. All the tests are done and now the teachers are just holding us hostage. I'd rather be here."

"And in a few days when you're paroled for the summer you can spend all the time you want here," she told her, "but until then you are going to school." Dawn sighed loudly, pulling away from the hug to sulk in the corner. Joyce smiled and turned back to Buffy. "Anything?" she asked Gregory.

"It took a few minutes for her attention to wander," he told her.

"Okay. Let's try this again." She stepped back up to her daughter and grabbed her hand. "Buffy? Can you look at me? Please sweetie." It took a minute for Buffy to respond, focusing on her mother intently. "Can you squeeze my hand?" Joyce asked, picking up Buffy's hand with one of hers. A few minutes later and she felt pressure as Buffy did what was asked of her. "Good job honey. Now we're going to work on breathing again." She put her other hand on Buffy's abdomen while moving Buffy's hand to her own chest. "Just like this. Deep breathes in and out." She exaggerated her own chest movements for Buffy's sake, hoping her daughter would try and copy her like she always did. She could feel Buffy's chest move, but that was always the ventilator pumping air in and out of her daughter's lungs and not Buffy herself. "C'mon baby. I know you can do it. Deep breathes in and out."

Gregory put his hand on Buffy's chest, checking for any additional movement as well. He was about to stop Joyce when suddenly he felt something move. Joyce felt it too and looked to him in amazement. "Don't stop," he told her, grabbing his stethoscope and placing it over her lungs.

"That's it sweetheart. In and out," Joyce encouraged. Buffy took a few more shallow breathes before her attention started to wander and her eyelids closed. Joyce turned to the doctor.

"I think she did it," he told her, coiling up his stethoscope.

"So we can lose the ventilator?" Joyce asked. He shook his head.

"Not yet, but if she keeps progressing at this rate I think we might be able to soon." He smiled at her. "She truly is a miracle."

"You have no idea," Giles said from the other side of the room. He was watching them intently, as was everybody else in the room. "I say this calls for a celebration."

"How about pizza and ice cream?" Xander asked. "Nothing says celebration like ice cream." The others nodded enthusiastically while Giles joined Joyce and Gregory. The order was soon placed and as the others celebrated, Gregory took Joyce and Giles into the hallway.

"This is good news," he told them once they were in the privacy of the hallway. "She is progressing much more quickly than I anticipated. In a few days I think she might be able to breathe without the vent, maybe even sit upright in a wheelchair by the end of the week."

"But?" Giles asked, anticipating the negative news.

"But," Gregory continued, "She still has no feeling in her lower extremities and she still is unable to communicate. Based on her accelerated healing rate I would have expected something in these areas by now. The fact that there's been nothing is not a good sign. Soon you will need to make some decisions."

"What decisions?" Joyce asked.

"Her long term care," he told them. "As of right now I would classify her as a paraplegic in a vegetative state. She will need around the clock care. I would normally recommend a long term care facility."

"I'm taking her home," Joyce insisted. He nodded.

"Then we need to discuss what care she will need and how you can best provide for her needs. I assume you will be the primary caregiver Joyce?" Joyce nodded. "And you Rupert will be a secondary caregiver?" He nodded. "Then we need to start working, not only with Buffy, but with you two as well. We'll start in the morning." They nodded. "How is the remodel going?"

"Oh, umm, a few days for the bathroom, but the nursery is almost finished," Giles told him.

"I saw Xander's plans for the whole thing. He's a pretty smart kid with design."

"Yes he is," Joyce said proudly.

"The list Ben gave was pretty good, there's just one or two small things he might want to add for Buffy's care. I'll get with him before I leave tonight."

"Thanks," Joyce told him. He smiled and turned to leave. Joyce turned to Rupert, tears in her eyes. He immediately opened his arms, leaving it up to her to accept the comfort or not. She accepted.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, crying on his shoulder.

"We'll get by," he told her.

"Anya said it was like bringing three infants home instead of two," Joyce said, the tears making her voice sound broken. "And she's right. My baby girl is a baby again."

"Then we'll cherish her as we cherish our grandchildren," he told her, gently rubbing her back to calm her down. "And we'll watch for firsts from all three of them, and we'll celebrate each milestone every one of them makes."

"I don't know if I can do this again," she admitted. "I'm almost done raising Dawn. I don't know if I can start the whole process over again."

"You won't be alone," he promised her. "I will be here every step of the way. For all three of them." She nodded and simply let him hold her for a few minutes before pulling away. A few minutes later she pulled herself together enough to reenter the room just in time to hear the final verdict on the pizza and ice cream debate.

"Isn't that right Giles?" Xander asked, clearly at the end of his rope. The girls had been ganging up on him again. Giles shook his head and headed for Buffy's bedside, causing Xander to sigh loudly. "Fine. Chocolate ice cream wins again." He shook his head but stood to go get the food, Willow going with him.

"You okay Joyce?" Tara asked, noticing her red rimmed eyes. She nodded. "Maybe you need to get out for a night. Go back home and sleep in your bed for a night. Things will look better in the morning."

"Yes," Anya agreed, "we can stay with Buffy and you can go home and paint the nursery. Dawn and I picked out a lovely shade of yellow that will really brighten up the room." Joyce looked a little scared at the color the girls picked out, but Tara gave her a reassuring nod.

"Maybe I'll do that," she agreed. "A night to myself might be just what the doctor ordered." She grabbed her purse, searching until she found the keys to the car someone had brought by for her. "Come on Dawn."

"What happened to yourself?" Dawn protested. She didn't want to leave the newborns. Joyce sighed.

"Myself and my child," she elaborated. Dawn was ready to protest once again when Tara beat her to it.

"We can bring Dawn back with us after the pizza party," she suggested. "It will give you some time by yourself to decompress." Dawn nodded her agreement of that plan. "Besides we still need to paint the nursery and since I spent all day here I think it's my time to help."

"Okay," Joyce agreed, not showing how glad she was to have a few hours to herself, "but not too long. I want you safely home before sunset." Everyone agreed and Joyce soon found herself relaxing in the hottest bubble bath she could stand. She glanced around her bathroom fondly. She really liked her bathroom, the first one she really didn't have to share with anyone. She knew Xander had some grand plan for it and realized she really would miss it when it's gone, but she would give anything to have her family back home and together again. She indulged in her relaxation for a few hours before she heard the others come back to the house. Sighing, she reluctantly got out of the now lukewarm water and helped them paint the nursery.


	7. Chapter 7

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Look who it is," Xander said from his position from Buffy's bedside. "Look who learned a new trick." Joyce sighed as she entered the room.

"You can't talk about her like she's a dog," she grumbled, secretly glad things were becoming less awkward between the friends. Ever since they returned she could feel the tension whenever they talked to Buffy. Her friends just weren't sure how to act around her. She knew the feeling. She spent a few days getting over it herself. She turned to the cots, automatically checking on the infants before turning to Xander and Buffy. "Oh," she gasped, unprepared for the surprise. "She's sitting up."

"You can't talk about her like she's a dog," Xander playfully called back to her. She rolled her eyes and took the few steps over to them, giving him a casual swipe to the back of the head as she went. "Ouch," he said automatically, though it didn't really hurt. He relinquished his spot to Joyce, moving instead to the foot of the bed.

"When did this happen?" she asked, automatically grabbing Buffy's hand and squeezing. She was surprised to feel the gesture returned, even more surprised to find her daughter looking at her. It usually took several minutes of prompting to get those reactions.

"Last night," Xander said proudly. They had finished the painting party early, it only took a few hours with everyone helping, and he had offered to stay the night at the hospital. The girls also offered and she left it to them and enjoyed her night with Dawn. Dawn had left early, before she had even gotten up, and Joyce assumed she would be here. She looked around carefully and only then noticed the small pile of weapons in the far corner of the room.

"Xander what's going on?" Joyce asked in her Mom voice. Xander shifted uneasily. "Where is everyone?"

"They're fine," he quickly reassured her. "Dawn's at school and the girls are out shopping for baby things. You remember the nursery don't you? Well apparently shopping and baby things just have the woman folk squealing with excitement. I will be doing the manly assembling thing as soon as they get back."

"Xander," she interrupted him. "What happened?" He sighed.

"Have you seen Giles?" he asked cryptically. She shook her head. "Maybe you should. He's across the hall with Gregory and Ben." She immediately left the room only to be stopped in shock as entered the next room.

"Oh my God," she said, taking in the bruised forms inside. "What happened?"

"There was another attack," Giles said, getting up from the bed he was sitting on gingerly and limping over to her. "A demon. We managed to stop it, but not without taking a few hits ourselves." She scanned over the men. Giles had his right ankle wrapped up and was limping. He also had several scratches down his cheek that she knew would disappear in a few days. Ben also had several scratches and was holding his chest carefully, but Gregory was another story. There were several large scratches down his back, which Ben was trying to dress when she came in, as well as several bite marks on his arms and bruising down the entire length of his body.

"A demon did this?" she asked, looking between the men. Gregory was definitely the worst between them.

"No," he said between pained gasps. "Several vampires did this."

"But you said demon," she protested.

"The initial attack was a demon," Giles told her calmly. "Well, a group of demons actually. They charged into the room before we even knew they were there. Luckily Spike was also there. He was able to push them back into the hall and eventually outside when they ran. He went to follow them and I went to help also. They are all dead."

"Then what is this?" she asked, gesturing to Gregory's injuries.

"Ben and I were discussing raising the bed to help Buffy breath easier," Gregory told her, "when the demons attacked. When Rupert chased after them, Ben and I decided to continue. That's when the vampires attacked us. I would have been killed without Ben's help."

"It was nothing," he shrugged, blushing slightly. "I just kept them occupied till Xander and Anya arrived. Then they took care of it."

"And the ones after them," Gregory threw out.

"How many altogether?" Giles asked. "Spike and I got back at the tail end of the attack." Gregory shrugged and carefully pulled his shirt back on.

"I lost count after the four that you dusted," he said, reaching for his lab coat.

"Your first vampire attack?" Joyce asked knowingly, seeing how shaken the Watcher was. He nodded.

"They teach you about these kind of attacks in the Academy, but to experience it first hand is something entirely different." He looked over to Giles. "How you were able to jump in like that is something I doubt I will ever be able to do. It's almost like you're a Slayer yourselves. All of you."

"Not a Slayer," Giles told him, "just taught by one."

"But you're her Watcher," Gregory argued. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching her?" Giles smiled.

"There are many things they teach at the Watcher's Academy. Very few translate into the real world, especially to Watchers who have Slayers." Gregory nodded, beginning to understand.

"No wonder Kate just laughed at our teaching methods."

"Kate might not have spent a lot of time around Slayers," Giles commented as he led the group back to Buffy's room, "but she spent enough time in the real world to know when things will work and when they won't." They were interrupted by a commotion coming from Buffy's room. They rushed in just in time to see Xander dusting another vampire. Joyce rushed over to him, brushing off the dust before pulling him into a hug.

"Are you okay?" she asked, pulling away from the hug to look critically up and down his body.

"I'm fine," he said, putting on his best goofy grin before noticing the others. "I'd say you should see the other guy, but then you're standing in him." Joyce immediately looked down and jumped back as she saw the pile of dust she was standing on. The twins decided that was the perfect time to wake up and she rushed over to them instead. "Okay, this is so not the normal 'we're gonna kill the Slayer' groupie mentality. Something is going on here Giles. We haven't had this many vampires in one place since the Mayor."

"He knows about the Mayor?" Gregory spoke up. Giles sighed.

"He was there. One of the many battles he has fought in and one of the many apocalypses he has helped avert."

"Don't you Council twits talk amongst yourself?" Spike asked as he limped back into the room. "Unless Watcher here has been deliberately keeping secrets from you, not that I would blame him one bit." Giles shook his head.

"Apparently not as thoroughly as I thought," Gregory said, thinking deeply.

"It's Council politics," Giles said knowingly. "They try to limit the information any one person has to limit betrayals. The only man that knows everything that goes on is the Grand Chancellor."

"The what?" Xander asked while Joyce felt her eyes widening in recognition. Giles sighed.

"He is the head of the Watcher's Council. He oversees all branches of the Council, including that of the Slayer. He is one of the most powerful men alive today." He shared a look with Joyce, who continued fussing over the babies. Gregory frowned.

"They don't know?" he started but Giles silenced him.

"No!" he said loudly. Gregory held his gaze then shrugged, looking at his ruined clothing.

"I think I will just freshen up a bit," he told them. Xander was looking at him curiously as he rushed from the room.

"Do you know this Grand Chancellor guy?" he asked Giles.

"A bit more than I want to actually," Giles told him. Xander sighed, recognizing when Giles didn't want to talk about a subject.

"Well maybe you can call him and ask him why the entire demonic population is choosing now to attack," Xander said sarcastically as he retook his seat next to Buffy. "Cause this is not normal."

"Could it be because of the children?" Joyce spoke up. "Was Anya right? Are they going to live like this the rest of their lives?"

"Naw," Spike dismissed casually. "Don't get me wrong. They'll have targets on their back forever and we'll need to be careful, especially while they're young and can't defend themselves, but this mass attack wasn't for them. It was for Buffy."

"I think you're right," Xander admitted. "The vamps that got into the room were torn for a second. They couldn't decide whether to go for the babies or Buffy."

"And there's this," Spike held out a piece of paper to Giles. "Got it off of one of the demons last night." Giles read it silently.

"Giles?" Xander asked when Giles crinkled it up in a fit of anger.

"It's a bounty," he explained. "Someone has put a bounty on Buffy's head."

"Why?" Joyce asked, still hovering protectively over her grandchildren. "I understand why they would try to kill her before."

"To keep their involvement of The Ring secret," Giles finished for her.

"But the secret is out," she continued, "why are they still trying to kill her?"

"I don't know," Giles admitted. "But until we figure it out we should keep up our guard." Everyone nodded, knowing he was right. Xander turned to Joyce

"If you're done at the house I can have my guys start working right away."

"How long?" she asked, never wanting to get somewhere safer in her whole life.

"Two days," he told her. "Three tops. If we get the stuff in tomorrow morning like we were promised." Joyce nodded. "The nursery will be done tonight. We can move the kids tonight. And we do have that little hospital room at the house. We could move Buffy there till her room is ready."

"Not if the water's out," Joyce insisted. "We're not moving. Not until we can all move. We can't split up our defenses, not now." He nodded, knowing exactly why she was feeling this way. As if to emphasize her point four demons chose that exact moment to storm the room. Spike grabbed one and pulled it safely back into the hallway while Xander started attacking a second. The other two stood in the doorway, looking from one side of the room, where Buffy was resting, to the other, where the children were. Joyce immediately threw herself in front of the children while Giles did the same with Buffy. The demons immediately went to attack when they were pulled back by an unknown force.

"You guys sure do know how to make a girl feel welcome," Faith said casually as she decapitated the demon going for the kids. She looked back and saw Daniel and Xander struggling with their demons and immediately helped, joined by Spike a few minutes later. Seconds later it was over.

"Is everyone okay?" Joyce asked, reaching back to pick up the now crying infants. Alex quieted down right away. Giles stepped over and picked up Billy, but he was less cooperative. Everyone nodded as they tried to get the little boy to stop crying.

"Now I know why I found Red and White coming out of the baby store," Faith said, noticing the infants for the first time. "At first I thought there was something my biology teachers never told me." Xander laughed at the joke.

"You saw Willow and Tara?" Giles asked as he tried bouncing the little boy to get him to stop crying. Faith nodded.

"Delivered a few books and everything," she told him. Meanwhile Daniel was moving closer to the babies.

"Can I?" he asked, holding out his hands to Giles.

"I'm not sure that is such a good idea," Giles responded. He looked to Joyce who nodded.

"They're perfectly safe with me," he reassured them. "I take after my mother, remember?" He nodded and reluctantly gave the child over. Spike subtly moved closer in case he needed to intervene, but everyone calmed when Billy finally quieted down as Daniel rocked him. "I'm great with kids," he told them, his expression wavering when he saw the other side of the room. Faith noticed and followed his gaze.

"B?" she asked, moving over to the other Slayer. Buffy's eyes were open, but it was clear she wasn't focusing on anything in the room. Faith turned to Giles. "What the hell is going on here? L.A. is in an uproar. The demons there are going crazy with news of the Slayer's kids up here, but last time I checked I sure as hell didn't have any little Faith's running around out there and B was still missing." They quickly told her the story. She sat down heavily on the edge of the bed in shock as she heard what they knew had happened to her sister Slayer. "So let me get this straight," Faith said, struggling to get her devil may care persona back after the shock of their explanation. "We have a bounty on B's head that all the big players are going after, plus the newest little Scoobies here that all the little players will be going after. And they say this town is dead." With that she smirked at Daniel, who smirked right back. "We're in till it quiets down."

"Thank you Faith," Joyce gave them a grateful smile before putting Alex down. As soon as she did the girl started to cry again. She quickly picked up her granddaughter again, but this time Alex didn't quiet down. Joyce tried everything she could think off, including passing her off to Giles and Xander, but nothing worked. She looked at Daniel, who had Billy almost asleep in his arms and abruptly handed the baby girl to Faith.

"What?" Faith asked as she suddenly found herself with an armful of baby. "I don't know anything about babies," she said, automatically adjusting her grip on the baby so she was secure in her arms. To everyone's surprise Alex quieted down, blinking up at Faith trustingly.

"You're a natural," Daniel said, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes in response.

"Don't make me slay you later," she said, but couldn't take her eyes off the baby in her arms. Just then Anya and Dawn walked in the room.

"Are we having a party?" Dawn asked as she saw the mangled demon bodies on the floor. With a sigh Giles began cleaning up the corpses that scattered the room. Spike and Xander helped and soon the room was clean again. Just as they were getting settled Gregory reentered the room.

"We have more guests I see," he said, noticing the couple who were now holding the sleeping infants.

"This is Faith," Joyce introduced. Gregory's eyes lit up at the name.

"The Slayer," he said reverently. Faith just looked him over from head to toe.

"And her current boyfriend and my grandson, Daniel." They watched as Gregory continued to stare at Faith when suddenly his eyes got wide and he looked between Daniel and Joyce. He opened his mouth to say something several times, but all he could do is sputter.

"Some Watcher you are," Faith said, when suddenly a terrible thought came to her. She turned pleading eyes to Giles. "Please tell me he's not my new Watcher, cause I can tell you right now that won't work."

"He's not," Giles reassured her. "Gregory is one of the Council's doctors. He is here to help Buffy in her recovery." Gregory continued to look on in shock as Tara entered the room.

"Oh good. Everyone's here," she greeted before turning to Faith. "Those books were amazing. There's so many protection spells and charms that Willow and I are actually fighting over who gets to read them first."

"Hey!" Giles protested. Tara ignored him.

"Anyway there's some spells we can definitely use for the houses, some that might even work for the entire property, and some we think we can work for the hospital. Those ones are a bit trickier since it's a public building, but Willow thinks we can tweak them since this is a private ward."

"Where is Willow?" Joyce asked, her motherly concerns coming to the surface. She was the only one of her kids not there at the moment.

"She's at The Magic Box getting supplies," Tara told her, "but before she left we were able to enchant these." She pulled two large clear quartz crystals from her bag. One started glowing green while the other one remained clear.

"What are they?" Dawn asked, taking a step closer to look at them more closely.

"One is a demon detector," she explained, "that's the one that's glowing. The other will detect bad intents. At least that's what we hope it does. The writing was kinda vague."

"The glowing one detects demons?" Gregory asked, getting nervous. "Why is it glowing?"

"Why do you think?" Spike asked. Gregory just turned to him, looking confused. "Wait! You don't know?"

"Know what?" he asked, feeling jumpy. His last encounter with a demon didn't go so well and that left him a bit gun-shy. In response Spike let his fangs show. He backpedaled quickly, stopping when he felt the wall behind him, but he didn't scream though. He thought that was a plus.

"Spike," Giles groaned. Spike immediately lost the fangs.

"Sorry Rupes," he apologized. "Couldn't resist."

"A Pythian Seeing crystal," Anya said, impressed. "I haven't seen one of those for a long time. They were all the rage eight hundred years ago or so. Back when demons first started blending in with human societies." She turned to look at their confused expressions. "It glows when there's an unknown demon around," she told them. "People would keep them in their homes and shops and if it ever started glowing they would reach for their weapons first and ask questions later. Demons eventually learned to ignore those places and eventually the crystals became more legend than real and the spells were lost."

"Not lost," Tara told her, "hoarded by the Watcher's Council. Although I guess they were lost when Angel robbed them," she finished uncertainly.

"When I robbed them," Spike corrected, before looking at the Watchers. "I mean Angel. When Angel robbed them."

"Spike," Giles complained. "Please stop talking now."

"Right," he said, leaning against the wall. "Won't do much good then cause I'm not leaving which means that thing will just continue to glow."

"No, we think it can learn your presence," she told him. "The book mentioned something about the crystal learning a demon's essence if they stuck around enough. I guess there were trysts even back in those days."

"So how does it work?" he asked, reaching over and picking up the crystal, only to drop it with a cry. "Bloody thing shocked me." They watched as the crystal turned bright green, then clear, only to turn green again.

"Maybe it's sensing me," Daniel said, handing off the now sleeping child to Tara and stretching out to touch the crystal.

"But I thought you said?" Gregory started but stopped when the crystal shocked Daniel.

"Oh I am, on my mother's side," he said, looking over at Buffy with complete love and adoration. "But my father was another matter entirely. You did not want to meet him, even on a good day." The crystal once again flared before turning green again.

"Hmm," Tara said, gently putting down the sleeping infant and picking up the crystal. Nothing happened.

"Maybe it's me?" Dawn asked. "I mean I'm not exactly normal am I?" Gregory looked at her in confusion, but she just shook her head. "Don't ask." She reached over and touched the crystal, giving a small yelp when it shocked her as well.

"Dawn?" Joyce asked, immediately taking Dawn's hand in hers and inspecting it.

"I'm fine Mom," she protested, but let her mother inspect her hand. "It's just like those electric shocks you get when you shuffle your feet on the carpet and reach for a door knob." Joyce nodded and turned back to the crystal. It once again was glowing green. She tentatively reached her own hand out, but nothing happened.

"Maybe it senses the demon in me?" Anya suggested, reaching out to grab the crystal. "I mean I was one for over a thousand years." She grabbed the crystal without getting shocked. She passed it onto Xander, who also did not get shocked. Giles reached for it next.

"Perhaps my dark past?" he thought, but he also got no shock. He passed it to Gregory, who the group was watching with suspicion now, but he also was able to handle it safely.

"It couldn't be the kids could it?" Faith asked, handing over her baby to Dawn and reaching out to the crystal. She yelped when it shocked her. "I thought it detected demons?" she asked. Tara nodded her head. "I'm human. Why did it shock me?" Giles suddenly groaned. "G?"

"The origin of the Slayer," he told the group, "is rumored to be demonic."

"You mean the First Slayer we saw in our dreams after beating Adam?" Xander asked. "She didn't look all that demonic. Creepy and in bad need of a facial and a haircut, but not demonic."

"Yes, well, it is one of the great mysteries of the Watcher's Council. Something akin to our version of the 'Holy Grail'. Unfortunately, all the information from that time has been destroyed or lost to time. We only have theories, but the most common and accepted one is that the Watchers of the time imbued a regular girl with the essence of a demon. That essence is what travels from Slayer to Slayer, so in theory once activated a Slayer could be regarded as part demon."

"Cool," Faith said, taking a seat and putting her feet up on the bed, "but if that's the case then I'm not the only part demon Slayer here." She looked over to Buffy, who had once again closed her eyes. Giles sighed, taking the crystal over to his Slayer. He held it next to her hand, but nothing happened. He looked back to Tara. Tara only shrugged.

"Maybe she has to be the one to reach for it?" Anya guessed. "Willingness is always a huge factor in these older spells." Giles nodded, turning back to Buffy. He was unprepared to find her staring at him.

"Buffy?" he stuttered. This was the first time she acknowledged anyone's presence but her mother, and he wasn't quite prepared for the intensity of her gaze. "I need you to do something for me," he told her, holding the crystal next to her hand. "I need you to reach out and touch this. Please. It is very important." Her eyes never left his, but he knew when she did what he asked. It took her several minutes to cover the inches keeping them apart, but she eventually found her hand on the crystal. She jerked in reaction to the shock and Giles had never seen a more beautiful sight. Again the crystal glowed, though this time it did not change from its clear color. Buffy's hand shifted again and Giles eagerly held it in his own.

"So now we'll at least know if there's a demon nearby," Tara told the group. "The other one works the same way when there's violence, but we're not sure if it needs physical violence to trigger it or if thoughts of violence are enough."

"It's more than we had. Thank you Tara," Joyce said, coming over to hug the witch just as Willow walked in. They all immediately checked the crystal, but it continued to stay clear.

"Did it work?" she asked distractedly as she pulled out various ingredients from her bag. "We need to work quickly on this protection spell. I passed four different groups of demons that were preparing to storm the hospital on my way back here." Faith and Daniel immediately went over to the windows and opened the blinds enough to look out. Tara and Willow quickly set up their spell.

"There's a group of Fyarl demons," Faith said.

"And a group of Prowlers," Daniel added, "not to mention the vampires that were already here." He turned to the witches. "You guys might want to start chanting. I see a group of chaos demons heading to the doors and nobody wants them to get inside." Nodding, the witches began chanting, a glowing circle of energy beginning to form between them. Suddenly the energy bubble burst out, leaving the girls winded and panting on the floor.

"Are you alright?" Joyce asked, predictably the first one to get there. They nodded. Daniel turned his attention back outside.

"They're almost to the door," he told them, watching their progress. He watched as they reached the handles, only to find themselves being thrown backward with a powerful unseen force. "It worked," he told them, watching as another group of demons tried to get through with the same results.

"What spell did you use?" Giles asked softly, still unable to tear his eyes away from Buffy, who was still staring at him.

"A tweaked version of a home protection spell," Willow answered. "The only downside is one of us has to stay here all the time or the spell will collapse."

"I'll appreciate the company," she told them. "I'm not leaving until we can take all of them home."

"As exciting as this has been," Gregory said into the sudden silence, "We did have an appointment Joyce."

"Right. Breathing 101." Joyce took her customary point on the bed. She reached for Buffy's hand, but Buffy kept holding onto Giles's hand like a lifeline. It took Buffy several extra minutes to focus on her mother, her gaze kept drifting away and falling onto Giles. He quickly realized he was distracting them and let go of her hand, carefully backing away. Joyce took his place, grabbing her daughters hand and in seconds she had Buffy's full attention. Soon they were doing their breathing exercises. Gregory pulled on his stethoscope, listening to the sounds of Buffy breathing before he looked up at Joyce.

"I think we can lose the vent now," he said happily. He pushed the call button and a minute later the nurse poked her head in. After a brief conversation she left, returning a few minutes later with a tray full of equipment. "Okay Joyce," he said, positioning himself on the opposite side of the bed. She nodded. He had already discussed everything with her and Giles and they both knew what they needed to do. Joyce was already coaching Buffy, telling her to breathe deeply, when Gregory pulled the breathing tube out. He passed it over to the nurse, and they both stood ready in case they needed to insert the tube again. They watched in silence as Joyce tried to get Buffy to breath, and as the first minute passed he was seriously contemplating putting the tube back in when Buffy took her first breath in a very long time.

The group cheered quietly as she took a second then a third breath, her body quickly becoming used to the familiar sensation of breathing again. Soon she didn't need the encouragement anymore. The nurse gathered up the equipment they used and left the room. Gregory came over and began to fit a nasal cannula onto her face. "Her numbers are still a little low," he explained. "This is just helping her." She surprised everyone when she turned her head to the side, away from the doctor and his piece of equipment.

"I don't think she likes it," Dawn remarked casually. Gregory tried reaching for her again, trying to set the cannula into the proper place, but again she moved her head.

"Do you know what this means?" Joyce asked, her eyes tearing up.

"That she is every bit as stubborn as you've been saying?" Gregory asked as he tried once again to fit the equipment to his patient. He sighed in defeat. "A little help here?" Joyce immediately jumped in and Buffy focused on her, allowing Gregory to apply the tubing to her face. He quickly hooked up the oxygen and adjusted the flow, happy when he saw her oxygen levels starting to rise. "I doubt we'll need it for long," he told her mother. "And yes I know what it means. It's a good sign that she's starting to show interest and interact with her surroundings." He smiled gently at her. "I think it's best if we let her get some rest." They looked down and saw Buffy's eyes were already closing again. Joyce squeezed her hand, happy when Buffy returned the squeeze automatically.

"Well it looks like the demons have scattered," Faith said from her position at the window. "I don't think they've gone far though. Probably just waiting for tonight," she told the room. "Which means we should too. I think we should probably get some rest," she motioned to Daniel.

"We have the whole floor," Spike said as he too headed for the door. "I'll be across the hall. Try to keep the noise down lovebirds," he said as he disappeared. Faith and Daniel just smirked.

"I hate spending time in a hospital," Faith said as she headed out the door. "The things I do for you B."

"And the things I'll do to you," Daniel replied, grabbing Faith around the waist as they exited the room.

"Did anyone else just have very disturbing thoughts running through their heads?" Xander asked. All of the girls nodded. He shook his head to clear it. "Well I better be off. The sooner I get the boys working on the room the sooner it will get done." Anya joined them and they were happily chatting as they made their way out. Willow pulled a book from her bag and the two witches climbed onto one of the beds and started reading it. Giles looked at them longingly.

"You can have it when we're done," she told him, knowing what he wanted.

"But," he started, only to stop when she hardened her face.

"Resolve face," she said simply. He hung his head in defeat. "Besides there are others you can read in the bag."

"But I wanted to read that one," he whined before sighing. "I guess there's nothing for me to do but wait," he said, only to have Joyce hand him a bottle.

"There's always something that needs doing with newborns," she told him, placing Alex in his arms. "Doubly so when it's twins." She took Billy and soon both infants were nursing contentedly. Dawn watched in peace as her Mom and Giles both got lost watching the babies.


	8. Chapter 8

Warnings and disclaimer in chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The day passed quickly. The night was chaotic as group after group of demons tried to get into the hospital, but with Spike, Faith, and Daniel there were very few that managed to get past them. The few who did manage to get inside the hospital were quickly dealt with by a very upset Scooby Gang, who let all their frustrations out on the hapless demons. By the time morning came about everyone was exhausted, but nothing managed to step foot inside the room.

Once the sun had risen Gregory took Joyce and Giles off to the side and began teaching them what they would need to know when Buffy returned home. They decided that Joyce would be primarily responsible for Buffy's day to day needs, while Giles would work on her movement and exercise needs. After some awkward conversations they decided on a plan that would work best for them, covering everything from eating and going to the bathroom to exercising her upper and lower body.

"We'll start with the feeding tube," he told them, leading them back into the room. Anya walked over and stood behind them with uncensored curiosity. Willow and Tara put down the books they were reading and scooted closer, keeping a more respectable distance.

"Anya?" Joyce asked.

"This is information we will need to know if we are ever needed to care for her," Anya replied bluntly. Joyce sighed, realizing Anya was right. She looked over at Willow and Tara, who hurried forward with a subtle nod in their direction.

"Are you sure?" Gregory asked, slightly distracted by the girls' presence. "Usually these matters are considered private and are not discussed outside of the caregivers and family."

"We are family," Anya told him. "Besides, we had these same discussions about the twins. I don't see how it would be any different for their mother." Gregory was dumbfounded.

"Just go with it," Giles recommended.

"Right," he said, turning back to Joyce. "The feeding tube was inserted while she was in the coma when her pregnancy was discovered. The children needed more nutrition than they could give through an IV."

"But she's not pregnant anymore," Joyce pointed out.

"But she's also awake and not eating for herself," Gregory countered. "She is using more calories than she is receiving, even just lying there. Plus, the more active she becomes the more she calories she burns."

"I get the picture," Joyce said. "So how does this thing work?"

"It's quite simple," he told her. "Very much like the twins' bottles." Anya looked smug at that comment while Gregory shook his head trying to get that picture out of his mind. He grabbed a prepared bottle from the refrigerator and carefully showed them how to attach it to the tube. They watched morbidly as the liquid diet slowly drained out of the tube. "The main thing to remember is the mixture can't have a thick consistency. You can make whatever you want, you just need to puree it into a thin, water like consistency. If anything becomes clogged, you will need to bring her to the hospital to clear it up, don't try to unclog it by yourself. That usually leads to infections or irritation."

"What do we do when the meal is done?" Joyce asked as the last of the food drained into her daughter's stomach. She glanced up at Buffy's face, wondering what her daughter thought of this procedure, only to find her staring at the ceiling. Gregory reached for another, smaller bottle and quickly traded them out.

"Distilled water," he told them, "to wash away all the food residue." The second bottle drained much faster, leaving the feeding tube clear once again. "Once both are finished you clean the tube input with an alcohol wipe and cover the input." He quickly demonstrated the procedure, finishing with taping the tube securely to Buffy's stomach. "If ever the site becomes red or irritated, or it appears that the tube is getting dirty or stained, bring her in immediately." They all nodded at the instructions. He put down his supplies and opened her chart. "We have her on a scheduled feeding once a day right now, but as she becomes more active we will likely be increasing that to twice a day or even more."

"How long until we can lose the feeding tube?" Joyce asked, feeling the greatest sense of Deja Vu.

"That depends entirely on her," the doctor said, closing her chart and putting it back in the slot. "When she starts eating and drinking for herself we can reevaluate the situation, but disconnecting both the feeding tube and the IV is relatively simple. The good news is she had no problems swallowing, but she did find the experience extremely traumatic."

"I remember," Joyce said, thinking back to the day in New York where they forced Buffy to swallow some food to check her reflexes. She was shaking so hard by the time they were done they needed to sedate her in order to calm her down.

"The other good news is she has the feeding tube so there's no need to rush her or force feed her. When she's ready she'll let you know. But remember she is a Slayer and has a Slayer's metabolism. Even when she starts eating for herself, she may not be getting enough calories to cover what she burns."

"So we'll just have to play it by ear," Giles said, paraphrasing what he told Joyce earlier when she was going through her withdrawal. Joyce glanced at him and gave him a quick smile before returning her attention to the doctor.

"Yes. Her weight will be key in indicating whether she needs more or less food. You will need to monitor it very carefully. One of the items we recommended to Xander is a scale large enough to fit a standard size wheelchair on it. Place her in the chair and place the chair on the scale and you will have an accurate weight to gauge how much food she needs. Are there any questions?" Anya raised her hand.

"How does she go to the bathroom? The twins use diapers right now. Does she use a diaper?" Gregory got his uncomfortable look back. He looked to Joyce for guidance, who gave him a nod.

"No," he told her. "As of right now there is no bladder or bowel movement at all. For bladder output we have her hooked up to a catheter. It essentially allows urine to flow from her bladder into an ostomy bag attached to her inner thigh." He pulled back her gown enough to show them the bag. "The bag is emptied as needed. As for bowel movements, that is a bit more complicated.

"The hospital in New York decided the best course of action is a Bowel Program, which they have been doing since she was admitted there seven months ago. Essentially you administer a suppository rectally, which will loosen the bowel muscles enough to allow the waste to flow out. I see no reason to change the procedure now. It is done nightly at approximately 7 P.M. We will be going over that procedure later tonight Joyce," he told her. "You all are more than welcome to attend." The witches shrunk back slightly but Anya just shook her head excitedly. He sighed, obviously hoping that would scare the ex-demon away but it didn't work out like he hoped it would. "If she regains any feeling or control in these areas we will rework our plans, but right now I think that these are the best options."

"What about bathing?" Joyce asked.

"You always have the standard sponge bath, which is what she's been getting here, but Xander is quite talented when it comes to design and is giving you a bathroom many people would die for." Anya beamed, looking around proudly. "It will include two options that I find rather exciting. The first is an extra-large tub which will allow Buffy to lie down completely or, with an additional attachment, be able to be propped up in. It also features Jacuzzi jets which can soothe tired muscles, so I hope you all take advantage of it. The other item is a walk in shower that comes complete with an installed shower chair that can be moved while inside the shower. Now while she won't be able to effectively use either one by herself for a while, once she has sufficient upper body strength she should have no problem getting in and out of the shower, though she may still need some help with the bathtub." He turned to face Giles.

"The exercise portion is just as essential to her wellbeing as her daily needs. As a Slayer her muscles will atrophy more quickly. It will be essential to keep them stretched out and limber as much as possible. For her upper body you might need to help her with some of the motions until she is able to complete them herself, but for her lower body you will need to do all the movements for her." He quickly demonstrated the exercises she will need on both her upper and lower body. Giles watched intently, nodding his understanding with each movement. "Normal patients need these exercises once a day. I think she'll need them twice daily, if not more. Again we'll just have to play it by ear."

"Just like her normal training schedule," Giles commented. Gregory nodded.

"You will both need to be on the lookout for bedsores. If she stays still for too long her skin will develop lesions. Once she gets moving in and out of a wheelchair that shouldn't be much of a problem, but you will have to watch her carefully."

"You speak as if you know she's going to recover her upper body mobility," Joyce pointed out. Gregory smiled reassuringly.

"Nothing's ever one hundred percent sure in the field of medicine, especially in the field of spinal injuries, but if a patient demonstrates some ability in a certain area, there's a high chance of regaining most if not all of that area back. She's already moved her arms and shoulders. That's a good sign for upper body mobility."

"But nothing below the waist," Joyce sighed dejectedly.

"That doesn't mean it won't come back," he reassured her. "She's a Slayer. It might just take longer. Plus, we don't know exactly where she loses feeling. She may be able to feel below the waist and simply cannot move her body. That is a possibility as well."

"It would be so much easier if she could just tell us," Joyce sighed. Giles looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I know it's frustrating," Gregory told them, "but she's making incredible progress."

"But she still isn't speaking," Joyce said discouraged. "I just want to hear her say something. Anything."

"And she will, but she has to do it on her own time." Gregory tried to reassure them, but he knew it helped very little. He sighed. "I have her scheduled for an MRI in the morning. Hopefully we'll be able to figure out what's going on inside that head of hers."

"Good luck," Giles said off handedly. Gregory nodded and left the room, giving the family time alone.

"What are you thinking Giles?" Willow asked.

"Something that I really shouldn't," Giles admitted. "I'm thinking of trying to help her with spells."

"Giles," Tara admonished. "You know medical and magical don't go together."

"Not like that," he told her. "Buffy is recovering extremely well physically. I was more concerned with her mental wellbeing. If she can't speak maybe there is a way to still communicate with her." Tara frowned but didn't object further. Joyce decided it was time to intervene.

"Let's see what twenty first century medicine can do before we start casting spells on my daughter." They let the conversation drop as a nurse came in to tend to Buffy. Gregory had obviously spoken to her because instead of pulling the privacy curtain she encouraged the others to watch and ask questions.

"You'll need to show us you're able to properly do all of this before we let you take her home," the nurse explained as she expertly changed out the ostomy bag. "Ask any questions you have right now. Tonight you'll actually help me with her care." Anya needed no further invitation and peppered the nurse with questions left and right, asking the questions nobody else seemed comfortable with. The rest of the group watched, intrigued by the answers Anya was getting.

"Wait!" Giles commanded toward the end of her routine. The nurse paused, her hand on the spent IV bag.

"She still needs an IV, Sir," the nurse explained as she unhooked the empty bag.

"Stop!" Giles ordered again, but his eyes were not on the nurse, but on the crystal that was glowing a faint red. Anya immediately went to restrain the nurse, who thankfully didn't resist. She put the empty bag on her cart and backed away into a corner.

"I'll get Gregory," Tara said, exiting the room quickly. Everybody kept glancing between the nurse and the crystal. A few minutes later Tara brought both Gregory and Ben back with her.

"What's going on?" Gregory cautiously asked.

"I was changing the IV when Mr. Giles stopped me," the nurse said from her position along the wall.

"The crystal started glowing," Giles said. Gregory and Ben looked at the second crystal, which was still faintly glowing.

"Did you do anything different Abby?" Ben asked. The nurse shook her head.

"Nothing I haven't been doing since she arrived," she told him, "and the only difference was I was letting them watch and ask questions."

"But the crystal didn't start glowing until later," Giles said. "When she went to change the IV." Gregory frowned and picked up the bag. He examined it thoroughly before shrugging. He approached the bed, intending to hang it himself, when the crystal glowed again. "I don't understand."

"What's going on?" Faith asked as she and Daniel entered the room. They obviously had just woken up and were blinking sleep from their eyes.

"I was just changing out the IV," the nurse stated again. Gregory backed away from the bed and the crystal's glow faded. Daniel reached for the bag, studying it intently.

"Ben," he asked carefully. "Do any demons work at the hospital?"

"No," he answered. "I think there's a few who work for our laundry service and pick up soiled linens, but none that actually interact with patients. Why?"

"A demon handled this recently," he told everyone. Ben immediately turned to the nurse.

"Where did you get the supplies Abby?"

"From the storeroom on this floor," she told him. If she was shocked by their talk of demons she didn't show it.

"Take the bag out of the room please Daniel," Gregory said. Daniel nodded, leaving the room. As soon as he did the crystal's glow faded completely.

"Well now we know what that one does," Willow said shakily. Ben turned back to the nurse.

"Go get a bag from one of the other floors," he told her. She nodded and quickly left the room. "I'll take that bag down to the lab. Let's see what was really inside." He followed them outside.

"I guess I get to do some daytime Slaying," Faith said, trying to cover up how shaken she was.

"Daniel should be able to track the demon," Giles told her. Faith nodded and left the room. A few minutes later Abby returned with a new bag. She offered it to Gregory, but he smiled and shook his head, letting her finish her rounds. She smiled and approached the bed, twisting her head so she could see the crystal. It remained clear. She hung the bag gingerly, again watching the crystal carefully before connecting the bag to the tubing in Buffy's arm. Once she was done she looked up at Gregory.

"Until we are certain the hospital is secure perhaps you can vary the locations where you gather your supplies." She nodded and left the room to make that notation on her paperwork. Ben came back in just as she left.

"The lab is testing it right now," he told the group. "They'll get back to me as soon as they have something." Everyone nodded as another figure entered the room.

"I'm back," Veronica said tiredly before noticing the somber atmosphere in the room. "What happened?"

"Another assassination attempt," Giles told her. "One that would have been successful if not for Willow and Tara's enchantments." They quickly told her what happened.

"This is getting serious," she said just as Faith walked into the room with Daniel following close behind. They were both covered in green goo.

"Daytime Slaying is not all it's cracked up to be," she said, "but we did get the demons who were behind this. They snuck in before Red and White did their mojo and where just waiting for their opportunity. They were trying to poison her with this." She held out a vial, which Giles quickly took.

"Nightlock," he said after examining the vial closely. "A classic demonic poison not used very often because it's antidote is extremely common."

"But if it got directly into her bloodstream," Gregory finished, "it could be deadly within minutes." Giles passed the vial onto Ben.

"I'll take it down to the lab to give them something to compare the bag to." He quickly left the room.

"I really need to hit the shower," Faith said, turning back to the door.

"Thank you Faith," Joyce said. The name jolted the other Watcher out of her trance.

"Faith?" she said, jumping in front of the Slayer. Faith automatically took a step back, hands going into her fighting stance. "I'm Veronica Adell, your new Watcher." If Veronica notice the less than friendly welcome she ignored it and started what was clearly a rehearsed speech. "I am Rupert's sister, and while I was never formally trained as a Watcher to a Slayer, I believe that I am up to the challenges it will entail. Rupert and I have talked extensively and he has told me all about you and your checkered past, but I believe we can put that behind us and have a fresh start. I am confident we can learn from each other and build a working relationship as good as any the Council has ever known. I know I lack experience but Rupert has promised to be there for the both of us should we ever need him." She paused to take a breath, when she noticed Faith's blank look. "Rupert?"

"Oh," he said, glancing over, "you lost her. Right after saying you were my sister. Let that sink in and then try again." He couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched the two of them.

"Oh," she repeated her brother, this time noticing the shocked look on Faith's face. Instead she turned her attention to the young man standing next to her Slayer. "I'm afraid I never quite caught your name."

"Daniel," he said, overcoming his own shock. "I would shake your hand but I'm afraid that would make a rather slimy first impression." Instead of shaking he nodded to her, before nudging Faith in the ribs. "Faith. Let's go get cleaned up." She let him lead her out of the room.

"Well that was a disaster," Veronica said, sinking onto one of the beds. Giles chuckled.

"She didn't try to kill you," he told her warmly. "That's more than some of her Watchers got." Veronica shook her head before turning to Joyce.

"Your granddaughter is at the funeral home," she said somberly. "Everything is ready for her burial tomorrow." Silence filled the room with that remark. Veronica turned and faced Giles. "Father is here as well. He insisted on accompanying me back with the casket. He's at the funeral home right now."

"What?" Giles asked. This behavior was very strange for his normally aloof father. He was about to question Veronica more when he noticed Joyce's demeanor. "Joyce? Are you okay?"

"Yes," she nodded, but turned around so nobody could see her face. Her back shook with silent sobs. She cried for several minutes before pulling herself together. Turning she faced Giles once more. "It's just… is she going to be safe?"

"She's dead," Giles gently reminded her. She shook her head.

"I know, but that's not what I'm talking about. Demons are after the twins simply because of who they are. She's part of that legacy. Even dead she's still the daughter of a Slayer. If she can't live I want to know that at least she'll rest in peace."

"Ah," Giles said, understanding what she was worried about. "As far as I know there is no reason for anyone to disturb her grave. Demons will hunt the living children of Slayers, but once they are killed the compulsion is gone. There's no record of a demon ever defiling the grave of a Slayer's child."

"If it will help," Tara said, coming up and putting a gentle hand on Joyce's shoulder, "we can put wards around her grave that will keep everything out."

"Thank you," she said gratefully. She turned to Giles. "I need to go to the funeral home. Can you watch things here?"

"Of course," he told her. "Do you want anyone to accompany you?" She shook her head.

"I think I need to do this on my own," she said, "but thanks for offering." He nodded his understanding and she slowly left the room. Anya left to go help Xander, leaving Willow and Tara in the room. Faith and Daniel came back in after a few minutes and Veronica tried her speech again, but Faith held up her hand and headed over to the twins instead.

"She just needs time," Giles encouraged his sister. Veronica nodded, and instead of pushing Faith she began talking to the various members of the Scooby Gang who flitted in and out all day long.

"So I hear I missed the big introduction," Xander said as he finally rejoined the group just before sundown. Everyone had gathered there, prepared to spend another night defending the Slayer.

"It was actually pretty funny," Willow said as she and Tara began casting protective spells. "I've never actually seen Faith shocked silent before."

"Really?" Xander asked. Faith just glared at the red haired witch. He was about to say more when Joyce entered the room again, being trailed by someone new. "And who is this?"

"This is my father," Giles announced reluctantly.

"A sister and a father?" Xander asked as the group stared at the man unashamedly. "It's like you have a whole new family you never told us about."

"Xander," Giles cautioned. "This is hardly the time to get into my long lost family. The sun is about to set and we have a very long night in front of us."

"Right," Faith said, jumping down from the counter she was sitting on. "Me and Daniel are gonna cover the hospital grounds. Spike said he would do a quick patrol through the cemeteries then join us. Hopefully the spell Red and White did will keep out most of the demons, but some got through last night so be on your guard."

"Right," Xander said as he started passing out weapons.

"Mom," Dawn said as she stepped up to her mother. "I was thinking about names for the baby who died."

"Really?" Joyce asked. Dawn nodded.

"How about Anyamarie Tara Summers?" Everyone got quiet at her suggestion. She blushed and looked down at her feet. "I just thought it was a good idea since she named the twins with some of our names. This way that baby is as much a part of us as the twins are."

"I think it's a beautiful name," Joyce said, tears falling from her eyes. Dawn looked up at smiled shyly. She was surprised to find tears in everyone's eyes. "I think Buffy would like that." Everyone nodded their agreement.

"As touching as this moment is, we really need to get into position," Faith said, turning to face her new Watcher. "I'm really not sure what you should do," she admitted.

"I'll patrol with you of course," Veronica answered.

"No!" Giles told her firmly. They both looked over to where he was standing, holding a broadsword with practiced ease. "This is not a normal patrol. This is a baptism by fire. If you go out there in the thick of it where Faith will be you will die."

"And what about you Rupert?" she asked. She watched as he casually tucked stakes and knifes into hidden pocket of his jacket.

"I will help secure the hospital," he told her, "but I have much more experience in this than you do. Your place is here, with Joyce, Dawn, Willow, and Tara. A last line of defense between Buffy and the children and anything that wishes to harm them." He could tell she wanted to argue, but she eventually backed down. Giles turned to his father. "Your place is here as well Father."

"You dare tell me my place Rupert?" Mr. Giles challenged.

"Right now yes," he said, not backing down at all. "You are out of your league here. For once in your life listen to what I have to say." Mr. Giles glared at his son, but he too backed down.

"Impressive G," Faith smirked, pulling out her favorite dagger and loading herself with weapons. "I didn't think they would back down there for a moment."

"Wait," Veronica started, "was this a test?"

"One that you passed," Faith said as she watched Daniel load up on weapons as well. "In my experience Watchers are too arrogant, often to the point of being destructive. Knowing when to let the Slayers take the lead and make the tough calls is a hard lesson to learn, but one you have to master in order to be a part of this team. I don't need someone who holds me back by always needing to be in charge. I need someone who stands by me, right or wrong." She finished her speech and headed for the door. Daniel, Xander, and Anya following her.

"What do we do?" Veronica asked, looking toward Giles. He handed her a short sword, which she grasped clumsily.

"Kill anything that makes it onto this floor that isn't one of us," he told her, before heading to the door as well. Albert watched him go before moving closer to his daughter.

"It's been a long time since I wielded one of these," he said, reaching out and grabbing a double edged axe. He stepped back and took a couple practice swings, while Veronica did the same with her short sword. "Do you fight?" he asked Joyce, setting the weapon down and making his way over to her.

"Not usually," she said, picking up Billy and giving him his nighttime bottle, "but I can if I need to." Dawn was doing the same with Alex, but her attention was not focused on the infant but the sounds of battle they could now here coming from the street.

"We usually protect Willow and Tara," Dawn told him, putting Alex down as soon as she was done. She picked up her own short sword and stood in front of the doorway, straining to hear anything coming down the hallway.

"Witches," Albert said, spotting the two of them inside one of their circles. "One light. One dark."

"How did you know?" Joyce asked. He smiled at her.

"You don't get to be in my position without picking up a thing or two," he said lightly. "It's very rare for a light witch and a dark witch to work together."

"They do more than work together," Dawn said. "They do everything together."

"They're lovers," Joyce explained at his confused look. "They've been together for the last five years. It is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen." She stopped when a crystal started glowing green. "Dawn!" she warned, but Dawn was already moving. Joyce put down Billy, the little boy whimpering slightly at the loss, but he quieted down quickly. Joyce drew her own sword. Dawn had already positioned herself in front of her sister, while Joyce put herself in front of the twins. Veronica and Albert drew their own weapons.

"Tara! Willow!" Dawn whispered frantically as the green crystal glowed brighter. Tara mumbled something and a green haze filled the room before narrowing on a ceiling tile. Joyce traded her sword for a spear and quickly thrust the weapon into the tile. They heared pained cries as blue blood began dripping down the shaft. She pulled it down, ready to thrust it back up when they heard the sound of the demon retreating. The crystal faded once again, leaving the quartz clear.

"I wonder why the other one didn't react," Joyce thought out loud.

"It was probably waiting for the right time to attack," Dawn said, lowering her weapon. Joyce nodded and picked up Billy who was starting to fuss again.

"Well that was some excitement for tonight," Veronica told the group, putting down her weapon. Dawn and Joyce just looked at her. "That is going to be the extent of the violence isn't it?"

"Nope," Dawn said, as the both crystals glowed, one green and the other red. "The night is just getting started."


	9. Chapter 9

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The night passed in a blaze of exhaustion. More demons were able to penetrate the protective enchantments Tara and Willow cast, leaving the group inside the room little time to rest. The group outside the room had an even tougher time, though their experience again helped them avoid serious injury. By the time the sun rose there were hordes of demon corpses scattered throughout the back alleyways and abandoned buildings.

"I don't know if the people of SunnyD are going to be able to ignore this one," Faith said, leading her group back to the room once the first rays of sun hit the street.

"You'd be amazed what they can ignore," Spike replied. He had joined them during the night as promised. "Morning Mum," he told Joyce, taking his place next to the children.

"Spike? What happened?" Joyce asked when she got a good look at him. His left side was blackened with soot, with several deep scratches in his arms and chest.

"Just a little problem with a fireball," Spike dismissed, reaching his good hand into the cot. He grinned when Alex grabbed onto his finger. "Nothing to worry about. Big Bad took care of everything." He looked up, just realizing there were extra people in the room. "Who are the Watchers?"

"This is my family Spike," Giles said tiredly. "This is my sister Veronica, Faith's new Watcher, and my father Albert, the Grand Chancellor of the Watcher's Council." Giles winced as his father was formally introduced for the first time, and it was with good reason. Everybody gasped at the same time.

"You're the leader of the Watchers?" Xander asked. Albert nodded. "You're the one who's made our life hell? Buffy's life a living nightmare?"

"Xander!" Giles snapped. "We are all exhausted and on edge. Don't say anything you'll regret later." Xander nodded, but Spike wasn't intimidated at all.

"It's the truth aint it?" Spike asked, leaving Alex and facing the Watchers. "The few times she actually needed help you turned your back on her or made her beg like a dog. You Watchers keep the Slayer as downtrodden as possible, then throw a fit when she realizes she doesn't need to take it anymore. The best thing you can possibly do for a Slayer is to go away."

"How dare you!" Albert exclaimed, his exhaustion forgotten in Spike's verbal attack. "What do you know of Slayers?"

"More than you do," he said calmly. "I've spent my life studying them. Learning their strengths and weaknesses. I've chased Slayers from one end of the world to the other, always looking for the ultimate warrior. The ultimate fight to prove I was the best once and for all."

"Spike," Giles groaned, stepping between them. "This isn't the time and this definitely isn't the place." Spike blinked and looked over to Buffy. She was awake and looking in their direction, though he couldn't tell if she was watching them or not.

"Sorry Rupes," Spike apologized, backing down.

"Spike?" Veronica whispered, suddenly placing where she heard the name before. "William the Bloody? The Slayer of Slayers?" She gazed wide-eyed before clumsily grabbing her short sword and brandishing it threateningly. Albert followed her lead, which caused the Scoobies to react. They were unprepared when everybody threw themselves between the Watchers and the vampire. Spike ignored them, instead reaching in and letting Alex grab his finger again. He went to pick her up.

"Spike." He stopped at Joyce's voice, looking over at her questioningly. "If you're going to pick her up you need to get cleaned up first."

"Right," he said, remembering his soot covered skin. "Niblet?"

"I picked up some of your clothes like you asked me too," she said, not taking her eyes of the Watchers. "They're next door along with everything else."

"Thanks," he said, leaving the room with a smirk. The Watchers watched him go wearily.

"Rupert?" Veronica said, not lowering her sword. "What is going on here? Do you know who he is?"

"We know exactly who he is," Joyce said angrily, "he has never tried to hide anything from us. And what is not going on here is a siege in my daughter's hospital room. Spike is part of this family. If you can't handle that the door is right there." She took a few steps forward, pulling the sword away from Veronica's weak grasp. "I appreciate everything you've done for us these last few days, but if I have to choose between my family and the Watcher's Council, there's really no choice." Veronica looked over at her father, obviously torn.

"It is the chipped vampire you reported to the Council?" Albert asked sternly, not relinquishing his weapon. "The one unable to hurt humans?"

"Yes," Giles said, not looking his father in the eye.

"You never said it was one of the Whirlwind. The Slayer of Slayers. I would have ordered you to kill it immediately."

"And Buffy would have defied the Council yet again," Giles said, looking his father in the eyes. "And I would have stood by my Slayer." He held his father's gaze before continuing. "This is a world you do not know. Ancient ideals and outdated policies only hurt here. This is a new world and a new age. The Council can either grow and change and be part of it, or crumble into dust. I've made my choice. What will you choose?" He stared at his son for a long time before putting his axe down.

"What do you think of this Faith?" he asked. "You are the current Chosen One."

"What? No," Faith argued, putting up her hands in defense. "B's the Vampire Slayer. I'm the backup. And I'm good with that." Albert shook his head.

"Buffy Summers died during childbirth," he said calmly. The others looked to Joyce, who minutely nodded her head. "She was revived, of course, but no new Slayer was called. The line rests with Faith now. Faith is the Chosen One. So I ask again. Faith. What do you think about this?" Faith walked over to the other side of the room, staring at her sister Slayer. Buffy watched her contentedly. She was silent for a few minutes before she started to speak.

"It's no secret I've had a few run ins with the Council," she said softly, "and more than a few run ins with this group. I'm able to admit now that I've made my fair share of mistakes and bad decisions. But I was young and stupid. I'm not sure what the Council's excuses were." She turned and stared at the Watchers. "They gave me another chance so I'm giving you another chance. But I can't go back to the way things were. The Slayer can't be another tool you use and discard. The new age of the Slayer is here. I want to be a part of it. What do you want?" Albert stared at her for a minute before his gaze shifted to the still form in the bed.

"I do as well," he admitted quietly. "I want to be a part of this new age of Slayers. I want to see Slayers become the confident young women I know they can be. And I want the Watcher's Council there to support them, not direct them. We should be the tools that the Slayer has, not the other way around. Somewhere throughout the years us Watchers have forgotten that."

"Then we might be able to make this work after all," Faith said honestly just as Spike reentered the room. He went over and picked up Alex, cooing to the infant softly. Anya followed, picking up Billy. Faith watched them for a moment before turning to Joyce. "If it's okay with you I'd like to come to the service. Pay my respects."

"I think Buffy would like that," Joyce said. "The service is at eleven. You're all welcome to come." She turned to the vampire. "I'm sorry it's during the daytime Spike."

"It's alright pet," he reassured her. "I'll stay here with Buffy, make sure no nasties get her, and pay my respects later on tonight." She smiled.

"Thank you Spike. I'm sure Buffy appreciates it." She was about to say more when the crystal started glowing green. The group looked around in concern, Faith and Daniel readying their weapons, when two demons materialized in the middle of the room. The Watchers gasped while the Scoobies groaned. Anya smiled, holding Billy securely.

"Apparently congratulations are in order," D'Hoffryn said directly. Hallie smiled uncertainly.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" Hallie asked, reaching her arms out for the baby. "I would have thrown you an amazing baby shower. All of the demons would have come."

"He's not mine," Anya said awkwardly, hugging the baby closer. Hallie frowned, putting down her arms as she stared at her friend.

"Whose child are you holding?" D'Hoffryn asked kindly. Anya didn't respond, but couldn't keep her eyes from flickering to the other side of the room. "Slayer's," D'Hoffryn stated calmly. "So the rumors are true."

"What rumors?" Giles demanded, stepping up threateningly. D'Hoffryn held his gaze before sighing dejectedly.

"There are Slayer's children here," he told them. "They have nothing to fear from me. I still have high hopes Anyanka will return after her fling with mortality is over, not to mention hope that Willow will join my ranks. I could even find a place for Tara and you two can be together forever."

"No thanks," Willow muttered, "but what do you mean they have nothing to fear from you?"

"Destroying her children is not going to get me in your good books," he said bluntly, holding out his hand to the child Anya held. Billy reached for his finger and held it, a smile on his face. "Vengeance Demons are not fighters. We survive through trickery and outsmarting our opponents. If this truly is the dawn of the Third Age of the Slayer, I want to be on your good side." He took a few steps until he could look at the other infant. "In fact, I wish to give you a gift. None of my demons will grant wishes or act against the Slayer or her children." Anya cleared her throat loudly. "Or her friends," he quickly added.

"You'd do that?" Veronica asked dumbstruck. Hallie took the opportunity to grab Billy from Anya's arms. The others reacted instantly, but they backed down when she just rocked the baby back and forth, cooing softly. D'Hoffryn watched the scene, a small smile playing on his face.

"It is a small price to pay even if the prophecy is wrong. Perhaps the Slayers will remember this and let us go about our business."

"Prophecy?" Giles asked, perking up. "What about a prophecy?"

"I can't remember the details," D'Hoffryn remarked absently, "and there are so many prophecies I would need to consult, but it's better to be prepared for any and all outcomes don't you agree?" He turned to leave. Hallie reluctantly gave the baby back to Anya.

"Do you know anything about the bounty?" Giles asked before they could leave. D'Hoffryn stared at him for several minutes before speaking.

"The bounty was given to all demons. From Wolfram and Hart."

"Wolfram and Hart?" Faith asked. "The law office Angel works at?"

"He controls but one office," D'Hoffryn replied, "there are many more that he has no knowledge of or influence over." He turned to leave then stopped. "I'm telling you this as an act of trust between us." And with that the two demons vanished into thin air. The Scoobies stared after them before gathering up their weapons.

"What are you going to do about this Rupert?" Albert Giles demanded. Giles shrugged.

"Nothing. We have a truce with D'Hoffryn and his group of vengeance demons. As long as he keeps his word they are not our main concern." Albert was about to say more when Joyce beat him.

"He is a friend of this family," she told them in no uncertain terms. "Until he acts differently he is free to come and go as he sees fit." She turned to the Scoobies. "We need to get ready. Can I interest you in a real shower Faith?"

"Yes please. Hospital showers are not all their cracked up to be." She started for the door, stopping when she realized Daniel wasn't following. "Coming?" she asked.

"I'll catch up," he told them, glancing longingly at Buffy. Faith noticed and nodded her understanding. The others shifted uncomfortably.

"We should get ready too," Anya said, bringing the boy to Spike and dumping him into Spike's arms next to his sister. He had to juggle them around for a moment, but soon they both were secure.

"I'll just take these two for a walk around the hallway," he said loudly. Daniel gave him a grateful smile as he followed everybody to the door. He closed the door gently before heading to Buffy's bedside.

"Hey Mom," he started, grabbing her hand automatically. She squeezed his hand and opened her eyes to watch him, giving him the same little smile she always gave her mother. He began to tell her everything about his life, content when she would squeeze his hand. At least for now.

* * *

"Hey," Spike greeted quietly as the group, minus the witches, Faith, and Daniel, reentered the hospital room. He was sprawled out on the bed with the twins sleeping soundly on his chest. Joyce smiled at the sight, then frowned when she saw her daughter's bed was empty.

"Where is my daughter?" she demanded, coming over Spike, only to be stopped by Giles.

"Gregory is running the MRI," he reminded her.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry," she apologized to the vampire. "I forgot."

"It's alright pet," he reassured her, "but I wouldn't mind if you picked these little ones up. I may be dead but even I need to move around once in a while." Joyce nodded, carefully picking up Alex while Giles got Billy. Spike stretched out his muscles then stood. "How was the service?"

"Strange," Anya answered honestly. "I didn't think it would be as sad as it was, since she never was technically alive and we never met her, but I cried for her. I cried for a fetus I never even met. I don't know why."

"That's love pet," Spike said knowingly. He blinked back a tear as Gregory came into the room leading a gurney with Buffy on it. Looking at the group Spike could see the same sad faces looking back at him. Even the Watchers had let go of their distrust and hatred. "I called Peaches while you were out," he said, deciding to break the uncomfortable silence. "He said he'd look in on the contract Wolfram and Hart has out on the Slayer. He'll let us know as soon as he finds out something." Giles nodded as the group settled down to wait. Gregory had Buffy back in her bed and was heading toward Joyce when three things happened simultaneously. The second crystal began to glow a deep red, a quiet popping sound could be heard outside followed by the window breaking, and Spike leapt on top of Buffy.

"What the…" Xander started when Spike changed into game face and leapt out the window into the sunlight. He rushed to the window, but soon lost Spike as the vampire raced across the street.

"Oh my God!" Dawn said as she moved closer to Buffy. Buffy was covered with a fine spray of blood on her head and chest. She grabbed towels and quickly began cleaning the Slayer off, leaving Anya to hit the on call button.

"What was that?" Albert Giles asked carefully as his gaze moved between the window Spike jumped out of and the window with the small hole next to it.

"That was someone trying to kill Buffy again," Xander said, moving slightly so Giles could join him at the window once Veronica took Billy. "Someone with a sniper rifle from the top of the parking garage across the street. I caught a little bit of movement, but they're long gone by now."

"And Spike?" Giles asked, taking in the scene.

"I think he took the bullet for her," Dawn told everyone as she cleaned up Buffy as best she could. Abby had entered and was getting warm water to bathe the injured girl.

"And then he went after the shooter," Anya finished, relinquishing her place to the nurse.

"In daylight without any protection!" Joyce huffed. "What was he thinking?"

"He never thinks when it comes to our safety," Anya reminded everybody.

"Mom?" Dawn asked quietly, her face turning pale. Joyce turned to look at her. "I don't think he caught all of the bullet." She lifted a shaking hand and pointed to a spot on Buffy's lower left abdomen. A spot of blood was growing larger.

"Doctor?" Abby asked as she immediately focused on that spot. Gregory came over, cursing as he lifted her gown and examined the area.

"Damn," he said as he lowered her gown again. "Take her down to X-Ray and prepare for surgery." Abby nodded. She grabbed some gauze and began applying pressure to the wound as more nurses and orderlies arrived. They quickly transferred Buffy back onto the gurney and out of the room. "She was shot," Gregory explained to Joyce. "The bullet is still inside her. We need to operate."

"Do it," Joyce said, in a state of shock. Gregory nodded and left the room. "Xander!" she yelled, causing the young man to jump in surprise. "How much longer before we can move them?"

"I can turn the water on right now," he told her. "Another day for Buffy's room and to let everything set in the bathroom."

"Do it," she ordered. "I want us safe in the house tonight." Xander looked around uncomfortably but nodded.

"Joyce," Giles put a calming hand on her shoulder, "Think about what you are saying. Buffy's going into surgery. She won't be ready to move tonight. And even if she is, do you really want to move everybody under the cover of darkness with all the creatures of the night about? Or would you rather wait for the warm sun on your face?"

"You're right," she admitted, taking a calming breath before turning to face Xander. "I'm sorry Xander. I just want my family safe."

"I understand," he smiled gently at her, "and I want everybody safe too. But Giles is right. We can't move them until tomorrow."

"We could try having Willow and Tara cast the protective spells again," Anya offered. "They both left so the spell would have fallen apart."

"Don't bother. Wouldn't have worked anyway." They turned to see Spike coming down the hall, dragging something behind him. He was beginning to burn from the rays of the sun, but otherwise looked alright. "He's human." He flung the broken body into the middle of the room.

"Spike!" Joyce growled, one part of her was relieved that he made it back okay. The other part furious with him. "What were you thinking?" She immediately pulled him to the side and began checking his wounds. At the same time the Watchers focused on the assassin.

"You hurt him?" Veronica asked, looking at his beaten frame. The man was beaten and unconscious now, but would have looked very handsome if they had met in a bar.

"I wanted to kill him," Spike said, not denying hurting the assassin. "But I made a promise." He looked over to Giles. "But you might let me kill him once you find out who he is."

"What?" he said, looking over in time to catch something Spike threw at him. He stared at it for a few minutes before sinking into a chair. "Dear Lord," he started muttering.

"What?" Veronica demanded. He held the ring up for everyone to see.

"Not those guys again," Xander groaned. Veronica held out her hand and Giles passed the ring over.

"The Order of Taraka?" she asked hesitantly. "Didn't you best them before?"

"Yes," he admitted, "but then there were just three." He turned to Spike. "How did you contact the Order and rescind the bounty?"

"I didn't," he admitted. "I was never trying to kill the Slayer, just slow her down a bit." Everyone looked at him with disbelief on their faces. "Okay, at the time I wouldn't have minded if they did manage to kill her, I just didn't think that was likely. I offered up three contracts, first come first serve. I didn't even have the money to cover them." He chuckled lightly, which turned into a hiss when Joyce pulled his shirt off his burns.

"Now that I do believe," Giles said tiredly.

"I was evil," Spike repeated again, "but I honestly didn't think any of them would be able to take her out. She's too good to be taken out by rent-a-thugs." He turned around, noticing for the first time Buffy wasn't there. "Where is she?" he asked.

"In surgery," Joyce answered. "The bullet hit her too." Spike hung his head. "Which reminds me." She turned to face the vampire, arms crossed in the very familiar angry mom position. Spike cowered before her. "What were you thinking running after him like that? In broad daylight as well?"

"I wasn't thinking," Spike admitted, hanging his head slightly, "just reacting. Somebody tried to hurt my girl."

"Spike," Joyce sighed. She rolled her eyes the way she did whenever any of her kids gave her a noble, but stupid answer. "Thank you for keeping Buffy safe, but if you ever do anything so stupid again I'll stake you myself. You're a part of this family now and we think before we act."

"Sorry Mum," Spike said feeling ashamed. He was about to say more when the assassin bolted upright, pulling a small knife from his boot, and attacked Buffy once again. He didn't get far as Spike immediately grabbed the hand with the knife in it. With a crack, Spike bent the hand backwards, clearly breaking the assassin's wrist, until the knife fell harmlessly to the floor. Spike then twisted the assassin's arm behind his back, throwing him to the wall and away from everyone.

"You'll never win," he said. "We will get our bounty." Then the man bit down hard on the inside of his mouth. Within seconds he started convulsing, Spike jumped away as he started foaming at the mouth. Soon he was dead.

"Poison," Giles said as he examined the dead assassin. Albert came over too, but not to examine the body but to stare at his son.

"Why was it able to hurt a human?" he asked. "I thought it couldn't hurt humans. What happened to the chip? If it can hurt humans it must be destroyed."

"It is standing right here," Spike snarled, slipping into his game face, "and it is starting to get pissed off."

"Spike," Giles warned. Spike nodded and backed down, heading across the room to sit next to Joyce again. She resumed her ministrations. "Father that's enough. Even if you detest him as much as I did, Spike deserves more respect than that. He is part of this family and has done a lot of good since he joined us. If you can't respect him at least show him the common courtesy that all too often eludes demons. And some humans for that matter." Giles held his father's gaze until the elder Giles backed down. "I never told the Council of Spike's new status since I knew this would be the reaction. Kill. That's the Council's answer to everything."

"Are you saying we should let demons live simply because they say they have a change of heart?" Veronica asked outraged. Giles shook his head.

"Of course not. Words alone are not enough. But when actions accompany the words, sometimes the right course of action is to let them try. The world has changed. Demons are no longer on the fringes of society looking in. They have integrated themselves into society so well that I doubt the Council even realizes how many demons walk among us every day."

"Demons will never change," Albert insisted.

"They already have," Giles countered. "There are several who live in Sunnydale who simply want to live their lives like everyone else."

"And you allow this?" Veronica asked speechlessly.

"Yes," Giles told them. "As long as they don't willfully endanger any lives we allow them to live peacefully." Albert looked unconvinced. He turned to glare at the vampire.

"How long has the monster been unchained?" Giles opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Spike answered.

"Over four years," he said, looking the Watcher directly in the eye.

"How many humans have you killed since that time?"

"None," Spike answered. Albert widened his eyes in surprise.

"How many humans have you hurt since that time?"

"A few," Spike answered honestly. Albert smirked only to be brought up short by Spike's next words. "But only those stupid enough to attack me or my family. Rupes knows all about them."

"Rupert?"

"He speaks the truth," Giles told his father before turning to the vampire. "How many demons have you killed?"

"In the last few days or the last few years?" Spike smirked. Giles rolled his eyes but continued.

"How many times have you stopped the demons from opening the Hellmouth? How many apocalypses have you helped stop?"

"A few good deeds does not outweigh a lifetime of evil," Albert insisted. "Can you guarantee that he won't start killing humans again?"

"Can anyone guarantee that?" Spike asked tiredly. He was getting fed up with this assault on him. "Can you guarantee you will never grab a shotgun and go out into the middle of the square and start taking people out?" He gave them a few minutes to think about that. "There are no guarantees in life. Trying to hold a demon to a standard that humanity can't maintain is a bit unfair mate. But you're right. Four years of good deeds doesn't make up for over a hundred years of badness. But if you never give anyone the chance to change, to make things right, you'll never make up any." The two stared at each other until they were interrupted by the door opening. Gregory walked in, a chart held loosely in his hands.

"Gregory," Joyce started, "how is Buffy?"

"She's still in surgery," he told them, sensing the tension in the room. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Spike backed down, sitting back into the chair.

"Oh my God," Gregory exclaimed, hurrying over to the vampire's side when he saw the burns on his exposed skin. He ran a critical eye over him, quickly spotting the entry and exit wounds the bullet made, when he remembered the other Watchers in the room. "I wish I could help you," he said, throwing a sly look towards Albert, "but its Council policy to never help a vampire."

"It's okay Doc," Spike said, "I'll heal okay on my own."

"Why do you stay?" Albert asked, all trace of venom out of his voice now. "You've been uninhibited for four years. Why did you stay in Sunnydale and fight on the side of the Slayer?" Spike sighed.

"I never meant to," he admitted. "After the commandos got me I tried everyone else I could think of first. Nobody would take me in. When I had nowhere else to turn to I came to this lot. They didn't want to, they certainly didn't like it, but they took me in. And I didn't make it easy for them. Like any wounded animal I lashed out at everyone, but they still kept me. Granted chained up in Watcher's bathtub was not what I was expecting."

"What?" Veronica laughed, looking at her brother. "You never mentioned that Rupert."

"And I never will," he said, glaring at Spike. The vampire just grinned.

"I tried several times to go back to my old life. Every time the commandos foiled my plans. And every time this group welcomed me back and helped me. When I realized I could still hurt demons it was like I was reborn. I never lived for the hunt like other vamps. I live for the fight. And suddenly I was back in it, granted on the other side, but I was okay with that as long as I could still fight. I never expected to fall in love with the Slayer, but I did. I never tried to hurt her friends because I knew she wouldn't like that, but somewhere along the way they all grew on me."

"And what about when she dies?" Albert asked quietly. Spike growled. "She is mortal. She will die. Everyone in this room will."

"I don't know," he admitted softly, looking down for the first time. "I can't tell you what will happen in fifty years or a hundred years. I wish I could tell you that I'd stay here, watching over her grandchildren and great grandchildren, defending the Hellmouth from any bestie that tried to wreak havoc on my home, but I can't. I don't know what the future will hold any more than you do. What I can promise is I will stay until they ask me to leave."

"I'm beginning to see why my son finds you so fascinating," Albert said quietly. Giles coughed discretely and Veronica stared open mouthed at her father. Albert caught Gregory's gaze and gave a subtle nod. The doctor raced over to where Joyce was trying to patch up the vampire.

"This is amazing," he said, fixing up the vampire's wounds but also studying them in a way he never thought he could. "Does this hurt?"

"Hey!" warned Spike. "I am not a bloody science experiment."

"Sorry," Gregory said. He managed to contain his excitement, but still studied the vampires healing ability with amazement.

"Did you have some news for us?" Joyce asked as she handed him the gauze. His shoulders slumped. He finished bandaging Spike, hoping to put off the moment a bit.

"We're back," Willow announced as she led her group into the room. "We placed wards around Anyamarie's grave. Nothing will be able to disturb her peace." She fell silent as she took in the room.

"What happened?" Faith demanded.

"They went after Buffy again," Xander said, not moving from his spot at the window.

"Is she okay?" Faith asked. "Where is she?"

"She is in surgery," Gregory explained. "She was shot. Thanks to Spike the bullet didn't penetrate very far. Ben is simply taking extra time to fully irrigate the wound to try and avoid as much cross contamination as possible. They should be along shortly."

"Then why the glum face Doc?" Faith asked. Gregory sighed, handing the remains of Spike's shirt back to him before picking up the folder.

"I have the results of the MRI," he told Joyce. "Would you like to go somewhere private to discuss them?" Joyce shook her head.

"Just tell me," she whispered, clinging onto Spike's hand for support.

"The results were not as encouraging as I hoped," Gregory admitted. "It shows minimal brain activity and practically no activity along her spinal cord below her injury." Everyone was silent as they absorbed the news.

"What does that mean Doctor?" Albert asked solemnly. Gregory turned to face the head Watcher.

"From a medical standpoint it is unlikely she'll ever walk again," he told them quietly, "and unlikely her mental state will ever reach anything like it was before." Silence settled over the room.


	10. Chapter 10

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"We're back," Ben called cheerfully as he led Buffy's gurney back into the room. Buffy was curled on her side, her injured side up, and looked miserable.

"You didn't put her out?" Joyce demanded, heading to her daughter. She grabbed her hand and lowered herself until she was in Buffy's line of vision. "It's okay baby. Mommy's here." Buffy surprised everyone when she tried to move closer to her mother.

"She wasn't in any pain Joyce," Ben reassured her as Joyce began combing Buffy's hair of her sweaty forehead. "When I realized some of Spike's blood had contaminated the wound I thought unnecessary anesthetic might do more harm than good."

"You're right," Giles told him, coming over to stand near the two of them. Ben tried to move Buffy back to her bed, but she held on tighter to her mother, once again surprising everybody.

"Buffy?" Joyce whispered to her daughter, trying to free her hand. She shot a look at Ben. "Why is she acting this way?"

"Some of Spike's blood did contaminate her wound," he told her. "There's no adverse reaction as far as I can tell, but it is making her feel lousy."

"She's clinging to the one person every child knows will make it all better," Giles said softly, a hint of regret in his voice. "Their parent." Joyce stared at him until he gave a wistful nod. Sighing, she kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed, all but pulling her daughter after her. Realizing her intentions, Ben and Giles quickly helped and soon the blonde Slayer was settled comfortably in her mother's arms.

"She's warm," Joyce commented as she rubbed her arms and back soothingly. Ben nodded.

"One of the symptoms of the contamination. I doubly irrigated it so hopefully mild flu like symptoms will be all she gets."

"Will she become a vampire?" Dawn asked quietly

"What's this Niblet?" Spike asked gently.

"It's all about blood right?" Dawn asked again. "She fed you and now your blood is in her body. Is that enough to turn her?"

"No Niblet," Spike told her. "It takes more than blood entering her body to turn her. She has to drink from us at the point of death. And I will never let anyone turn Buffy, even if she begs me to." Spike turned back to Buffy, unprepared to find Albert watching the exchange intently. "What?" he asked harshly. Albert raised his eyebrows but turned his attention to his son.

"Did you still want to move her tomorrow?" Giles asked Joyce. She nodded. "Willow. Tara. I need you two to go home and strengthen our magical defenses. Use whatever spells and charms you think appropriate." The witches nodded.

"They shouldn't be on their own," Xander pointed out.

"Which is why I want you and Anya there," he added. "Whatever protection you can give the homes and property."

"That will leave you shorthanded here," Anya pointed out.

"Maybe I can help," a voice called from the hallway. The crystal glowed green.

"Angel," Faith smiled. "Welcome to the party." He stopped just inside the doorway, surveying the scene.

"So the rumors are true," he said.

"Which particular rumors would that be?" Spike growled, standing up to confront his Sire.

"Buffy has kids," he answered, taking one step towards the twins' cots. Spike growled warningly and Angel stopped, holding up his hands in surrender. "I won't hurt them. I know we can never be together, but that doesn't stop me from loving her. And she's a part of them. They're safe from me." Spike looked over to Joyce, who nodded her head. He stepped aside and Angel slowly approached the sleeping children.

"Not that we don't love having you stop by and visit," Xander started, "but is there a reason you're not in your big cozy office? You know the same office that is trying to kill the love of your undead life."

"It's not them," he said, gently running his hands over Alex's head before pulling away and facing the group. "Wolfram and Hart are not behind the bounty." He paused to let that sink in before continuing. "But they are carrying it for a client. And no, I don't know which one."

"I have an idea," Giles said, sharing a look with Joyce.

"You may have another problem with Wolfram and Hart," Angel told the group. "Apparently they didn't realize the Slayer was pregnant."

"A prophecy?" Giles asked wearily, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.

"Several possible prophecies," Angel admitted. "The firm is in severe research mode right now. The Senior Partners don't like it when something big like this happens and they aren't prepared."

"Are they a threat?" Faith asked.

"Right now no," he admitted, "but they could be based on what they find out. If the Senior Partners find a prophecy they like, and they think they can tweak circumstances to let it fall in their favor, they might try something. I'll let you know if they find anything."

"And they are bringing you in on this project?" Daniel asked curiously. Angel nodded.

"Strangely enough yes. Wesley is extremely suspicious of their motives, but he is also leading one of the research teams. We're not quite sure what to make of it."

"If you find anything," Giles started.

"We'll be sure to let you know first," Angel assured them. "But I do have a small problem I was hoping you could help me with."

"What?" Giles asked. Angel fidgeted.

"We have our own apocalypse we're trying to stop in L.A.," he explained, "or we'd be able to babysit them ourselves, but with everything going on down there it wasn't safe for them."

"Who are you talking about?" Faith asked, before widening her eyes in shock. "You didn't bring them?"

"They followed you from Cleveland," he countered. Faith groaned while Daniel laughed.

"Who are you talking about?" Giles asked. Just as he spoke he heard voices coming from the hallway.

"Stop pushing me."

"You're the one pushing me."

"I can't believe you brought them," Faith groaned as two figures entered the doorway.

"Who?" Willow asked then gaped as she got her first good look. "Jonathan?"

"Hey Willow," he waved casually. "Xander."

"Wait," Faith asked, "you know these dweebs Red?"

"Of course she does," the second one spoke up. "We went to high school together." Willow looked at him blankly. "I summoned the flying monkeys during the school play." He looked between Willow and Xander, but both had blank looks on their faces. "Andrew," he led her on before bowing his head in defeat. "Tucker's brother."

"Oh," Willow and Xander said simultaneously. Andrew sighed.

"What have you guys been up to?" Xander asked. Andrew beamed.

"We're evil geniuses."

"They are annoying pains in my ass," Faith said, heading towards the sleeping infants, hoping the babies would create a buffer between her and them.

"These are the nerd herd?" Dawn asked, looking them over once more. "Wait. Aren't you missing one?"

"Warren," Spike said. "Where is Robo Boy?"

"I know you," Andrew said. "You're the chipped vampire. You threatened Warren then almost made him build you that robot Slayer."

"What?" Joyce hissed, tempted to move Buffy so she could go glare at the vampire properly. Thankfully Giles had the same thought. Spike shrunk back from the Watcher.

"Hold on," he said calmly. "First, that was over five years ago, back before I switched sides. Secondly, I went to Warren to get that damn chip out. And third, I was the one who backed out of the arrangement." Giles still walked over and punched Spike on the nose. "Guess I deserved that," Spike said, making no moves to retaliate. "So where is Robo Boy?"

"He got into some trouble in L.A. Met up with an old girlfriend and couldn't quite take no for an answer," Angel told them. "Tried using one of their inventions on her, but it wore off and she was pissed. He killed her as she tried to leave. He is currently a guest of the California Penal System."

"And these two?" Daniel asked.

"Didn't know what to do without him there," Angel admitted. "I thought about leaving them in L.A., but with the coming apocalypse they wouldn't stand a chance. Since I was coming up this way I hoped you would take them in for a bit."

"And if we kick them to the curb?" Faith asked. Angel shrugged.

"They're still out of L.A., which is my main goal."

"I'm sorry," Jonathan spoke up, looking toward Faith. "I never thought it would get this far out of hand. I thought we'd just have a laugh. You know, be cool in our minds. I never thought Warren would actually try to hurt you."

"I was just happy to be part of the group," Andrew said giggling slightly. Faith sighed.

"I won't try to kill them if they stay here," she finally relented, "but I am not going out of my way to protect them."

"I'm good with that," Angel stated. A loud cry stopped further conversation. Billy had woken up screaming. Faith picked him up awkwardly, looking to Joyce for guidance.

"Babies," Andrew screeched. Before anyone could stop him he rushed over and took Billy from Faith's hands. He began rocking the infant, surprising everybody when he got the child back to sleep. "Whose are they?" he asked the group, looking from face to face.

"Mine!" Joyce all but shouted. Everybody looked at her strangely, but nobody spoke up.

"I'm great with babies," Andrew said, oblivious to the exchange around him. "I can change a diaper in one minute flat. I can totally babysit for you so you can do other stuff."

"Andrew!" Joyce said as calmly as she could, "Please put the baby down." She wanted to take Billy from his arms herself, but since she still had her arms around Buffy she couldn't move. Thankfully Giles had the same idea again. He leapt over and all but ripped the sleeping child from his arms. Andrew didn't protest, but got a dreamy look on his face as he watched Giles put Billy back in his cot.

"Perhaps they can accompany the group back to the house?" Giles asked politely.

"What?" Xander asked sharply. Giles threw him a glare and he quickly changed his tune. "Yeah. There's always room at the house. Why don't you guys go get the car ready? We'll be down in a minute."

"We don't have the keys," Andrew pointed out helpfully. Jonathan rolled his eyes and pulled him out of the room.

"They want to talk about us," he said knowingly, "and they want to do it privately."

"So what do we do?" Andrew asked as they headed back down the hall. The door closed behind them before they could hear the answer.

"What do we do with them?" Xander asked once they were gone.

"I don't know," Giles admitted before turning to Faith. "Are they dangerous?"

"What?" she asked before she realized he was asking her opinion. "Not really, no. Warren was the psychopath of the group. Jonathan followed because he was too much of a coward to back out, and Andrew followed because he's in love with Warren. Without the third nerd these two are harmless."

"They do have skills though," Daniel added. "Jonathan is a warlock, though nowhere near as powerful as Willow and Tara, and Andrew can summon demons."

"Just what we need," Anya remarked. "More demons." Daniel laughed.

"I don't think he will unless he's threatened. Faith is right. These two are followers. Without Warren pulling their strings they're harmless."

"Still they shouldn't be left alone to their own devices," Giles said. "Keep an eye on them tonight while Willow and Tara secure the homes." Xander and Anya nodded. They got to their feet and were about to follow the witches out of the room when Joyce called out.

"Wait a second." Everyone turned to look at her. She glanced down at her daughter before looking toward everybody. "I want to officially adopt the twins."

"You want to take them away from the Slayer?" Spike asked. Buffy flinched slightly at the words, but only Joyce could tell.

"I don't think she'll be able to care for them for a long time," Joyce said. She spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, but her eyes sought out Dawn. "I don't want to take them away from Buffy, but I think this is the best way to keep them safe. To keep everyone safe." Anya nodded her agreement.

"But what if Buffy wakes up and remembers them?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know Dawn," she told her softly, "but I don't think that will happen. At least not for a very long time." Dawn thought about this for a long time.

"We will tell them though?" she asked. Joyce nodded.

"When the time is right," she confirmed.

"So I'll be a big sister instead of an aunt?" Joyce nodded. "I'm cool with that. Besides they have enough aunts. They really need a big sister." Joyce smiled and looked to the group.

"Do any of you have a problem with this?" she asked.

"This might actually keep us all alive," Anya said as everyone shook their heads.

"Especially when they lose her scent," Spike added. "It's already fading." Joyce smiled and turned toward Albert.

"Can the Council help me with this?"

"A grandmother petitioning the courts for custody of grandchildren when their mother is mentally incapacitated?" Albert asked. "You don't need the Council's help with that petition."

"But then there would be a paper trail," Joyce argued. "Secrecy is the only thing that will keep everyone safe. Can the Council help or not?" Albert stared at her for several minutes before nodding.

"Are you satisfied with an adoption?" he asked, "or do you want to have new birth certificates made with you as their mother?" Joyce shook her head.

"Making me their birth mother would lead to too many questions here," she told him. He thought for a minute.

"I can have their birth mother die in childbirth," Albert offered, "then you legally adopted them." Joyce nodded.

"That works," Joyce smiled at him. He nodded, getting to his feet.

"Then it seems I have some calls to make." He turned to Xander. "Can I trouble you for a ride to my son's residence young man?"

"Sure," Xander replied, getting his jacket. The ladies were getting ready to leave as well. "Are you coming?" he asked Veronica. She nodded her head.

"If there's room," she told them. "I'm interested in what magical defenses you have planned." He nodded, leading the group out the doorway.

"Spike," Willow stopped, just short of the door. "The spells we are thinking might retract your invitation. Get with one of us before sunset and we'll re-invite you."

"Hold off on that pet," Spike told her. "Let me see if I can find my own way in. Then we can plug any leaks I can find."

"I'll help," Angel offered. Willow nodded before following the group out the door. He looked to Spike. "Wanna patrol?"

"Hell yeah," Faith answered before Spike could speak up. Spike grinned as they left the room, Daniel following them. Gregory looked up.

"Did I hear you wanted to move her tomorrow?" he asked. Joyce nodded her head. "Then I better head over to the house and make sure everything is prepared."

"Can you take Dawn with you?" Joyce asked.

"What?" Dawn protested. "I want to stay here."

"You have school in the morning," Joyce reminded her.

"It's the last day of school," Dawn whined. "Nothing ever happens on the last day of school. I wanted to stay with the twins"

"You're still going," Joyce told her. "After tomorrow you can spend all the time with the twins that you want."

"Fine." Dawn rolled her eyes but followed Gregory from the room.

"I've got rounds," Ben told them. "You know where the call button is if you need anything. Abby will watch as you complete her nightly ministrations, just so we know for sure you can do it." Joyce and Giles nodded. Ben quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Was that okay?" Joyce asked Giles quietly, when only the two of them remained in the room. "I didn't mean to shut you out of the decision." Giles sighed and walked over to Buffy's bed. Buffy looked up at him without prompting, causing him to smile.

"I won't lie," he told her, kneeling down and rubbing Buffy's arm like her mother was doing a few seconds ago. "It hurt that you didn't consult with me before deciding."

"I'm sorry. I panicked," she admitted. "I don't know those boys at all, except from what Faith told us about them, and I don't want people like them knowing the truth."

"I understand," he told her, his eyes never leaving Buffy's shivering form. "And to be honest I was going to suggest something like that to keep them safe."

"Something like what?" Joyce asked.

"Adoption," he told her. "I was able to find a few references to Slayer's children in the Watcher Journals. The few that lived to adulthood survived because the Watchers hid them with other families or claimed them as their own."

"So we're okay?" she double checked. He nodded. They fell into a comfortable silence before she spoke again. "Are you going to tell them?"

"Do you want me to?" he countered. She smiled weakly.

"This can't be my decision, Rupert," she told him gently. He sighed.

"Part of me wants to proclaim it from the rooftops," he admitted. "The other part is terrified."

"Of what the Council will think," Joyce asked, "or what the Scoobies will think? You do realize you're technically Dawn's father as well?"

"Oh God," he paled as he realized she was right.

"She's not that bad," she chided. "She's grown up a lot."

"She has," he chuckled, "but it's not the Scoobies I'm afraid of." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Quentin fired me for having a father like love for the Slayer. I am concerned what the Council will do when they find out I actually am her father."

"Don't they already know? Didn't you say the Council would pull her records which would include your paternity test?"

"They did pull her records," he told her. "I don't know why they haven't confronted me about this yet."

"Well, whatever you decide I will support you."

"Thank you," he said, gazing down at his finally sleeping daughter. A soft knock interrupted them. Abby stuck her head in.

"You guys ready to show me what you've got?" she asked quietly. They nodded, slowly disentangling themselves from the sleeping girl. They stretched out tired muscles as Abby wheeled the cart in. "Joyce first," she said just as the twins woke up hungry. Giles took care of the infants while Joyce cared for their mother. When Joyce was done to Abby's satisfaction, they traded and Giles demonstrated the exercise regime Buffy needed. "You guys will do fine," she told them as she gathered her supplies. "Buffy is really lucky. Not everybody has someone who is willing to take them in with these challenges." She smiled reassuringly at them as she left. Joyce looked to Giles.

"She is really lucky," Joyce said. "We both are." Giles smiled back as they both prepared for another long night.

* * *

"Is Buffy still Buffy?" Dawn asked, bursting into the room after school the next day.

"What?" Joyce asked groggily, jerking awake from the light doze she had fallen into. It had been another rough night of demon fighting, so they decided to move Buffy later on in the afternoon, once everyone had some good sleep.

"I had a nightmare last night," Dawn told her. "She was trying to hurt us."

"Oh Dawn," Joyce said, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Buffy is still Buffy, and she would never try to hurt you. And if she ever does, she'll have to get through me first."

"Thanks Mom," Dawn said as she pulled away. She scooted around her mother, heading to where the twins where laying. Seeing they were awake, she picked up Billy. "Whoa," she said, as she turned to look at her sister. "She's in real clothes and out of bed? Is the world ending?"

"You know that joke's not to funny here," Xander said as he led the rest of the girls into the room. Anya immediately went over and picked up Alex.

"We've closed all the holes Spike and Angel were able to find," Willow said. "We've got the car seats strapped in and the trunk cleared out for the wheelchair. Are we missing anything?"

"Just one final exam before we sign her discharge papers," Ben said entering the room. He and Gregory quickly performed one more exam.

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked when they started frowning.

"She's still a little warm," Gregory said, taking her temperature.

"It could be from Spike's blood," Ben said.

"Possibly," Gregory responded, reading the thermometer. "A slight fever, but then she did have one all night. We'll keep an eye on it." He smiled. "Other than that I think we're all ready to go."

"Sign here," Ben handed Joyce the release form. She quickly signed her name.

"Thank you," she said, handing him back the clipboard.

"If you need anything, day or night, you have my number." She nodded and he quietly left the room.

"Shall we?" Xander asked as he grabbed the diaper bag. Everyone nodded and followed him out of the room. Soon everyone was finally headed home. The ride back home was thankfully uneventful, even though all the Scoobies were ready if something did try to attack them.

"Mom?" Dawn asked. They had arrived home and were beginning the lengthy process of getting everything inside the house when Joyce suddenly burst into tears. The Scoobies quickly spun around, thinking something had gotten past their defenses.

"I'm okay," she told them. "It's just, you said she would find her way home again. And she finally did."

"Oh," Dawn said, thinking back to when she said those words. She suddenly remembered and couldn't keep the grin off her face. "I didn't think it would take her this long."

"Doesn't matter how long it took," she said, putting her arm around her daughter as they watched everyone go inside the house together. "Our family is finally together."

"Plus some," Tara said, as she gently rocked Alex as she passed. Joyce looked down at Dawn, who was grinning madly. She couldn't help the smile forming on her own face as she and her daughter joined their family.


	11. Chapter 11

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"I think this calls for a celebration," Joyce declared as she and Dawn joined everyone in the hallway. The group was slowly putting things down after unloading the car. This was the first time everyone was home and nobody knew exactly where to put the twins' things or Buffy's things. Or the twins or Buffy for that matter.

"Pizza?" Xander asked as he struggled to unfold the wheelchair.

"How about a home cooked meal?" Joyce suggested. "I haven't seen my kitchen for almost a month."

"That sounds great," Xander told her, "especially if you throw in cake and ice cream."

"Consider it done," she told everybody. "I just need to go to the store." Tara and Dawn both volunteered to go with her, but she declined. She really needed some alone time. She quickly made her list and was out the door in minutes. An hour later she was back with her arms full of groceries. She grumbled under her breath when nobody offered to help her bring in her purchases. Her grumbles stopped at the sight that met her. Buffy was in the center of the couch, Xander and Willow scrunched up on either side of her. Anya and Tara were next to their partners, each of them carrying a baby. Dawn had curled up in one of the recliners, while Giles had claimed the other one. Across from them Faith and Daniel were curled together on the love seat. Someone had popped a movie in, but the only one watching was Buffy. Everyone else was fast asleep.

"Cute isn't it." Joyce jumped at Spike's unexpected voice. He looked apologetic. "Sorry Mum, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay Spike," she told him quietly. He helped her with the bags and started to unload the groceries once they were safely in the kitchen. "Aren't there supposed to be more houseguests?"

"They're over yonder annoying the Watchers," Spike grinned. "Think of it as cosmic payback."

"They can't be that bad," she said as she started making dinner.

"Oh they're that bad," he told her. "I wanted to kill them after a minute, just to shut them up." He leaned against the counter as they finished unloading the groceries. "The Watchers said they'll come over about five." Joyce glanced at her watch.

"Dinner should be just about finished then," she said. "Will you be joining us?" Spike shrugged.

"Might as well. No sense patrolling on an empty stomach." He pulled out a couple packets of pig's blood from the fridge and poured them into two mugs. "I'll be downstairs with Peaches if you need anything." She nodded and tried to cook the dinner as quietly as possible, but still she managed to rouse Giles. He yawned as he came into the kitchen, taking a seat at the counter.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she said. He waved her concern away and helped her with dinner. "Was Buffy really watching the movie?"

"I don't think she was watching it exactly," he confessed. "I think it kept catching her attention because the images kept changing." It made sense. Both Buffy and Faith were always hyper aware of their surroundings. Xander had explained it as a Slayer thing. Giles smiled as he helped her mix the salad and toast the rolls and was just about to set the table when the doorbell rang. He opened the door and let the Watchers in, along with their two guests.

"This place is much better than the dump we're staying at," Andrew started to complain.

"Hey!" Giles objected, knowing the Watchers were camping in his house.

"Don't mind him," Jonathan cautioned. "He's just upset that he can't go back for his limited edition Luke Skywalker action figure."

"It is extremely rare," Andrew raised his voice slightly in frustration. "Who knows what those people are doing to it. What if they," his whole body shuddered, "play with it?"

"Then the world will end," Giles said, at the end of his rope, "which is fortuitous that you are here as the world ending is our specialty." He turned his back on them and addressed the Watchers. "Father. Veronica. Gregory. How did you sleep?"

"A real bed was a Godsend," Gregory said appreciatively. Albert said nothing, instead he was investigating the room closely, while Veronica and Rupert watched him in trepidation.

"So this is the social experiment the Council funded," he said calmly.

"We are completely self-sufficient," Giles automatically defended.

"I am aware," Albert said. "Perhaps you will indulge an old man and give me a tour?"

"I would," he began, "but I'm helping Joyce in the kitchen."

"I can," Dawn said, sleepily coming out of the living room before realizing exactly what she volunteered for. "What do you want me to show them?" she asked, shooting Giles a concerned glance. Giles sighed.

"Whatever they want to see," he told her. "If the Council is truly willing to try to work with us we shall do the same and keep no secrets from them."

"And if they're not?" she asked innocently, glancing between Giles and his father.

"We've cut ties with the Council before," he said nonchalantly, "we can do it again." The two men had a staring contest. Surprisingly Albert backed down first.

"This way," Dawn said, leading the older man from the entryway. Giles watched him go, breathing a sigh of relief.

"He still hasn't said anything," Veronica told her brother. "He was mesmerized by your library collection, but he hasn't said anything about Buffy."

"I assume he snooped quite thoroughly last night?" he asked, leading her into the kitchen. Anya and Tara had woken up and joined them in the kitchen, leaving the three core Scoobies asleep on the couch. Giles quietly made his way to the living room, looking at them fondly. Buffy had finally fallen asleep, but the other two had shifted during their sleep. They were each using Buffy as a pillow, with their arms over the young woman as if they were afraid she would vanish again. He was loathe to wake them, but knew from experience that was not the most comfortable position to sleep in. "Willow. Xander." He called quietly, trying not to wake the sleeping woman between them.

"What?" Xander asked groggily. He quickly pulled back when he realized where he was sleeping. "Will?"

"Yeah?" she asked, opening her eyes lazily. She didn't pull back from her friend though, instead she got a big smile on her face. "I never thought we would do this again."

"I know what you mean," Xander agreed before looking at Giles. "Yeah G-Man?"

"Dinner," he replied exasperatedly. "And don't call me that." Xander grinned.

"Can I help with anything?" he asked, stretching. Willow reluctantly moved, but unfortunately Buffy woke up with the jostling.

"Can you get the wheelchair from the hall?" he asked, reaching for Buffy. Xander nodded and darted out of the room, only to return a few minutes later. Giles carefully transferred the girl from the couch to the chair, ensuring she was strapped in securely. Willow pushed her into the dining room, where Joyce was laying out the food.

"This looks great," she said, locking the chair in place at the head of the table. She helped Xander set the table while the others slowly gathered.

"You have a very lovely home Ms. Summers," Albert told her when Dawn led them back to the dining room.

"Thank you," she replied, throwing a concerned glance to Giles. He could only shrug. They sat down, the Watchers raising an eyebrow when Spike and Angel joined them. Everybody started eating in an uncomfortable silence.

"So Rupert," Albert spoke after a few minutes, "You have a very impressive setup here." Everyone glanced at Giles before looking back at their food. Giles gripped his utensils tightly as he responded.

"Thank you Father."

"And your journals were much more interesting than the reports you send to the Council." Giles glared at his father.

"All the Council cares about is results," he spat out. Albert didn't answer. Giles forced his hand to unclench and sighed tiredly. "Why are you here Father? You don't care about Slayers."

"How dare you!" Albert didn't shout, but they could clearly hear the anger in his voice. "I have dedicated my entire life to the Slayer."

"Not my Slayer," Giles said, shooting a look at Buffy. The girl was sitting calmly in the wheelchair, looking around the room and seemingly oblivious to the group that was eating around her. Albert followed his sight. His gaze softened. He put his fork down, leaning back in his chair. He debated with himself for a minute before starting to speak.

"We are in the midst of a prophecy," he admitted. "One that very well could change the world."

"What?" Giles asked. Now the older Watcher had everyone's attention.

"The Dawn of the Third Age of the Slayers," he said quietly. "The most closely guarded secret in the Watcher's Council."

"The Third Age," Veronica added. "That's what that demon said."

"D'Hoffryn," Anya corrected automatically, "but how does he know? Vengeance demons have never really cared about prophecies. Not like other demons."

"That is something I would very much like to find out," Albert told her. "As far as I knew, there was only one man or woman alive who knew of the prophecy."

"The Chancellor," Giles whispered. "What does the prophecy say?"

"I can't tell you." Albert held up his hands at the outrage that declaration caused. A few moments later the angry voices quieted.

"Can't or won't," Giles challenged.

"Can't," Albert said steely. "The prophecy was discovered at the beginning of the Second Age of the Slayer. Its destructive potential was so great the Watchers and the Sorcerers of the time bound the knowledge into a single source and eradicated all mention of it from the world. Only the Chancellor of the Watcher's Council knows of its existence. Only the Chancellor can read it, but for security reasons, the Chancellor is unable to speak it aloud. I can't tell you, even if I want to."

"I'll call Wesley," Angel said somberly. "See if the firm knows anything about a Third Age Prophecy."

"So yet again there's something that affects us that the Council thought we didn't need to know about," Xander growled. "I'm getting tired of playing their games."

"Xander," Giles cautioned. He threw a frustrated look to his father before facing the Scoobies. "As intriguing as this conversation is, we do have a more pressing matter. Night is almost here and we need to prepare."

"About that," Daniel spoke up for the first time. "We can't keep going on like this. It's been nonstop heavy patrolling around the clock for the last few days and nights. Eventually someone is going to get hurt."

"Yes, well," he began as he started gathering up his dirty dishes and bringing them to the sink, "we'll have to hope the new protective measures Willow and Tara cast will allow us some time to rest and regroup."

"What's that look for?" Faith demanded, bringing her own dishes into the kitchen. "I know that look."

"What look?" Giles asked.

"That is your patented 'I have a crazy idea' look."

"Giles doesn't get crazy ideas," Willow pointed out.

"I know. He wasn't the one with the crazy ideas. That was usually B or another member of the Scooby gang. But he was the one who would make the crazy idea work. And that is the look he would wear when he figured it out."

"Hmm," Xander spoke up, studying Giles's face intently. "You know she's right. So crazy idea Giles. What's with the face?" Giles sighed but began.

"I've been thinking about the bounty," he explained. "If we're correct in our thinking, The Ring is behind it. But what could they possibly gain from this? Originally I believed they didn't want the demonic aspect of The Ring to come to light."

"They didn't want to draw undue attention when she was just another faceless victim," Joyce said. They finished rinsing the dishes and made their way back to the table. "We've already discussed this."

"Right," he agreed, "but once we found her it makes no sense to continue to try to kill her. But the opposite happened. Not only do the attempts continue, but they reach new heights. A bounty the Order of Taraka would be interested in is no small feat. It makes no sense to call out the Order of Taraka unless she knows something they're terrified might come out."

"One small problem with that Giles," Xander spoke up. "In case you haven't noticed, she hasn't been a real chatterbox since she's been back."

"They don't know that," Angel told him, "or more likely they won't care. She's a loose end."

"So all she has to do is tell us this secret information and we can put a stop to them," Spike said. "One small problem with that. Like the whelp said. She isn't speaking."

"This would be where my crazy idea fits in," Giles said. He had everyone's full and complete attention. "We enter her mind and get the information we need." The Scoobies looked thoughtful, but the Watchers gasped.

"That is impossible," Veronica said. "You'll just get yourself killed."

"I agree," Gregory spoke up. "The mystical forces surrounding the Slayer are too strong. To even try would be suicide."

"Unless she invites us in," Giles countered. Veronica looked at the girl.

"She's in no shape to invite you into her mind Rupert," she told him sadly.

"She already has," he said. He looked to his father, who was watching the proceedings carefully, before turning back to the group. "To defeat Adam we combined our essences. She essentially invited Willow, Xander, and myself into her mind. I think we can still use that connection to enter her mind and find the information we need."

"But we did that years ago," Xander pointed out, "and we stopped the spell and uncombined."

"And then we all had a Slayer dream," Giles told them. "If the connection was terminated as Xander suggests we shouldn't have had that dream. I believe those connections are still there and we can still use them to enter her mind safely."

"And if your wrong you'll die," Veronica all but shouted, "or worse."

"There's worse things than dying?" Xander asked, but Giles ignored him.

"It's a risk I'll admit." He spoke to Xander and Willow mainly, but loud enough for the group to hear. "We will need to research the spell more thoroughly, but I think this may be our only way and I am willing to take that risk." Willow and Tara shared a long look before Tara nodded encouragingly.

"If it will help Buffy then I'm in too," Willow said.

"Xander is in too," Anya said.

"What?" Xander countered. She just looked at him. "Okay. I'm in." He looked to Giles. "So what do we do first?"

"What else?" he replied.

"Research." Everyone spoke at the same time. The Watchers watched with varying degrees of bemusement.

"So I guess we'll patrol," Faith said, standing up. Daniel and the vampires followed her lead.

"Wait," Giles interrupted as they were about to walk out of the room. "By moving Buffy and the children we may have shifted the demons' attention here."

"Right," Faith agreed. "Wasn't that why we moved them? To get everyone someplace safer?"

"True, but if the demons know Buffy and the children are in the house, our defenses may come under constant attack."

"So patrol might come to us," Faith summed it up before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter if most of the demons are here. If there are any demons running around downtown Sunnydale looking for Buffy, we have to stop them. We can't take the chance that they'll all followed us."

"I can go," Daniel volunteered. "I can teleport downtown and check things out, kill anything that's causing trouble, and teleport back here to help you defend the homestead."

"What if something goes wrong and you can't get back?" Faith asked. Daniel shrugged.

"My demonic part has already been invited in so it shouldn't be a problem, but if something does happen I'll just find a spot to lay low in until you come kick my ass in the morning."

"And don't think I won't," Faith smiled, leaning in to give him a long kiss. After a minute Xander coughed in the background and they broke apart. "Be careful," she said. He nodded and vanished. Faith turned to the vampires. "I guess we patrol inside the borders tonight."

"As long as we get some good violence in before bed it doesn't matter where we patrol," Spike said, as the group headed outside. Giles looked at the Scoobies.

"I suggest we start researching," he said, leading the way to the library. The Scoobies and the Watchers were right behind him.

"What can we do?" Jonathan spoke up. Giles looked around uncomfortably. He had forgotten the young men were there.

"Why don't you go play look out?" Anya spoke up.

"How do we do that?" Andrew asked eagerly. Anya smiled.

"Spend the night on the porch," she told them. "If you're dead in the morning we'll know something got through."

"I don't think that's how look out works," Jonathan told her. Andrew frowned.

"Either way it's fun for us," Anya said as she entered the library. The rest of the group entered behind her. The boys went to follow but Giles put an arm out blocking them.

"Go up onto the roof," he told them. "You can see the entire property from up there and Spike and Angel should be able to hear you anywhere they are. If there's any problems come find me immediately."

"Right. Roof," Andrew repeated before looking around curiously. "How do we get up there?"

"I'll show you," Dawn said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed Andrew's hand, pulling him after her. "How did you ever manage to become one of the Nerd Herd?" Jonathan shrugged and followed them. Giles shook his head before retreating to the library, leaving Joyce alone with Buffy and her kids.

"Looks like it's just us," she spoke to Buffy. Buffy quickly stopped looking around and focused on her mother. "What do you say we put the kids to bed and go watch some TV?" Buffy just stared at her. Joyce sighed. She wasn't really expecting an answer, but some hopeful part of her wished getting Buffy back home would trigger the miracle cure she was constantly hoping for. She looked between the twins and Buffy, not wanting to leave either one alone quite yet.

"Mom?" Dawn asked quietly as she came back downstairs. Buffy turned her attention to her, darting between the two women.

"I know it's irrational, but I don't want to leave them," Joyce said, looking at her youngest. "I'm afraid if I let them out of my sight they'll be gone."

"They're not going anywhere," Dawn said, leaning in to hug her mother supportively. "None of them can walk yet." Joyce laughed, which was what Dawn was going for. "Look. Willow and Tara put a lot of work into securing and protecting all the houses. Xander put a lot of work into building the nursery. And Anya actually spent a lot of money on the latest must haves for babies, including a baby monitor. The twins will be perfectly fine and we'll hear them if they need anything."

"And if the demons get in?" she asked.

"They'll have to get through us first," Dawn said, repeating what her mother told her earlier that day. She pulled her mother toward the babies. "Take the twins upstairs. Check out the new nursery. You're probably going to be spending a lot of time in there. I'll stay with Buffy and find something to watch when you get back. We'll have a movie night. Just the three of us. Just like before."

"Thank you Dawn," Joyce said, giving her daughter a quick hug before grabbing the twins and heading upstairs. Dawn stood there for a minute before making a bowl of popcorn. She constantly told Buffy what she was doing, keeping up a totally one sided conversation with her older sister. When the popcorn was done she turned back, surprised to find Buffy watching her with the same level of concentration that was usually reserved for their mother. Dawn shrugged off the uncomfortable feeling that stare caused. She put the bowl on Buffy's lap, unlocked the brakes, and wheeled her sister into the front room.

"What kind of movie tonight?" she asked her sister as she moved the popcorn onto the table. "I'm thinking a chick flick. Maybe something with Brad Pitt?" she spoke out loud until she found the perfect movie. She popped it into the player before turning back to Buffy and stopping.

"Is something wrong?" Joyce asked as she joined them, the baby monitor firmly in her hand. She raised her eyebrows at Dawn's movie selection, but Dawn only shrugged.

"It's the first time I've ever really moved her," Dawn admitted her fear. "I don't want to hurt her." Joyce sighed and put the baby monitor on the table.

"She's still pretty tough," she told her, "and she is healed. She's not going to break."

"Right," Dawn said. Joyce sat down on the couch and watched. She knew this was something Dawn had to do on her own. Dawn took a deep breath before grabbing Buffy under the arms. She almost overbalanced as she lifted her awkwardly up, unprepared for how much weight Buffy had lost. She managed to prop Buffy against her chest and somehow get her arm underneath Buffy's legs and lift her from the chair. She took the few steps to the couch and put her sister next to their mom. Buffy immediately leaned into her mother's embrace. "Sure," Dawn grumbled as she moved the wheelchair out of the way, "I do all the work and you get all the reward."

"If it makes you feel any better she's drooling on me," Joyce told Dawn.

"A little," Dawn admitted. She handed Joyce a towel then grabbed the popcorn, plopping onto the couch on her other side. Joyce quickly got Buffy situated before wrapping her other arm around Dawn. With both her girls in her arms she finally found a peace that was missing for over four years. She fell asleep before the previews were finished.


	12. Chapter 12

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"So what exactly are we looking for Giles?" Willow asked as she and Tara skimmed through the spell books. They were pulling double duty. Researching and ready to throw out any magical assistance that was required. "Is it like what I did with Glory?"

"No," Giles said as he skimmed the books on the shelves, pulling any he thought might be relevant. "That was more of a mental reconfiguration. We certainly don't want to change or alter Buffy's mind in any way."

"Right," Xander added, "we just want to go into her mind and ask her a few questions where hopefully she'll be able to answer back."

"Essentially," Giles told them, bringing back the first round of books. The Scoobies each grabbed a book while the Watchers looked stunned.

"Really?" Xander looked extraordinarily pleased with himself. "I got one right. Go me."

"What did Mrs. Adell mean by a fate worse than death?" Tara asked. Giles looked back to where they were sitting. Veronica shrugged.

"A Slayer is a very magical being," he told them. "They have certain defenses against magical attacks."

"But spells have worked on Buffy before," Willow said. Giles nodded.

"On Buffy yes. But I am talking about the essence of the Slayer. It will make more sense if you think of them as two separate entities right now."

"What kind of defenses?" Xander asked, his hand shaking slightly as he lifted his book.

"A nifty defense that flips any attack around on the attacker," Anya told them. "Demons were always cautioned about it. The tale goes like this. There was a sorcerer about two thousand years ago that gained a lot of power, enough power that he could literally live forever and never want for anything, but the only thing he ever wanted was more power. He learned about a Slayer and tried to drain her. And I do mean tried. She ended up taking all his power without even lifting a finger."

"But she obviously died sometime or we wouldn't all be here," Willow countered.

"She still had the physical limitations of a girl," Giles told them. "She would have died from old age if nothing else."

"Even with all that power?" Willow protested.

"The essence of The Slayer had all that power. When the girl died, The Slayer moved on, bringing all that power to the next Chosen and so on throughout the ages." Giles finally collected all the remaining books he thought relevant and joined them at the table. "When we enter Buffy's mind I doubt it will be Buffy herself that we need to get passed, but The Slayer. If we don't convince her that we are peaceful and want to help, she will destroy us."

"How exactly will she do that?" Xander asked again.

"I'm not sure," he told them, "but The Slayer will probably view the incursion as an attack on her mind and we will probably lose ours as the result."

"That is what happened the few times the Council has tried it," Gregory threw out helpfully. Giles glared at him. "And I'm going to see if Joyce needs any help with Buffy." He quickly left the room under Giles's glare.

"Are you going to help or just watch?" Giles asked his family. Veronica sighed and moved toward the table, stopping a few steps later when she realized their father wasn't moving.

"Father?" she asked hesitantly.

"Go on," he told her. "As Faith's Watcher I suspect you will need to do research quite frequently." He looked over to Rupert. "But I am too old for this. I think I would rather watch how this new group does things." Giles looked at him suspiciously before turning to the group.

"To defeat Adam we joined together as one," he said, mainly for the benefit of the Watchers since everyone else was nodding their heads. "Willow was able to successfully enter the minds of Tara and Xander to help defeat Glory." Again the Scoobies nodded. "What we need to do is combine those spells somehow."

"Two very different spells intended to do two very different things," Willow added.

"Which must blend together seamlessly and be completely non-threatening," Giles added.

"How did you enter my mind?" Tara asked as she leafed through the book she was researching.

"Astral projection," Willow told her, "but I had an anchor. I don't think we'll be able to maintain an anchor in Buffy's mind."

"Doubtful," Giles told them. "We'll need to be completely self-reliant in what could be an extremely hostile environment without appearing to be threatening in any way." He sat down heavily at the table and pulled a book towards him. "We've got a lot of work to do."

* * *

Several hours later Giles pushed back the book he had just finished and stretched his arms. Billy looked up at him from his swing and he couldn't resist picking up the baby. The twins had woken up hungry an hour ago and Anya, always trying to find any excuse to get out of research, had quickly rushed out to get them. She and Xander had fed, burped, and changed the kids before rejoining the research party. Anya kept a hold of Alex while Billy was passed around the table before finding his way back into his swing. "I'm going to make some tea," he said softly when he noticed Alex asleep in Anya's arms. "Would anyone else like some?" Hands went up all around the table. Giles nodded and quietly left the room, taking Billy with him. He quickly filled the teapot and put it to boil. At the same time, he put in fresh grounds in the coffee maker and turned it on. With nothing more to do right now but wait he quietly made his way to the living room.

The movie was long over, the TV screen shining brightly with nothing to show. He smiled when he saw the sleeping women on the couch. "Joyce," he whispered, sitting down on the coffee table and gently reaching out to touch her knee. She wearily opened her eyes, unable to stop a yawn from escaping.

"Sorry," she said, smiling at the sight of him holding the baby. "How's it going?"

"We're getting there," he replied. "We had to invent our own spell, but we did it. Willow and Tara are just trying to tweak it to make it as safe as possible."

"It's dangerous?" she asked, frowning slightly. He shrugged.

"Not for Buffy," he told her quietly. "Chances are she'll be completely oblivious."

"Rupert," she interrupted. "I don't mean just for Buffy." He looked down, shifting the baby to his other arm, before answering.

"There's a possibility we could lose our minds if something goes wrong," he reluctantly told her. She automatically tried to sit up before remembering the sleeping women holding her down.

"I don't want any of you in danger," she told him. "I worry about everyone, not just Buffy. Dawn, Willow, Xander," she began listing off names. "You."

"Me?" he looked up and caught her eyes.

"Yes," she admitted, "I care what happens to you." She sighed. "Things have been different since New York," she told him quietly. "Strained. It seems like we're avoiding each other."

"We've spent more time together in the last few weeks than in the last year," he reminded her.

"Yes, but that's always been about Buffy. Or the twins. Or Dawn. It's never been about us. We haven't really had time to talk."

"Is there an us?" he countered. She smiled.

"There used to be." She paused to get her thoughts in order. "Xander called you the patriarch of our family, and I realized he was absolutely right. Our family has never been normal, but you've always been there for everyone, including me. And now it seems like there's this huge thing between us, and I don't like it."

"There is a huge thing between us," he reminded her. "But I'm not sure what to do with it."

"Me neither," she told him. "It will take time, for both of us, but I don't want to lose you over this."

"You won't," he assured her. "No matter what happens I will always be here for you, for Buffy and Dawn, for the twins, for everybody. It's just," he paused uncertainly. "Right now I'm not sure how I should be acting around you. And I need time to figure all this out."

"Nice, crisis free time," Joyce added. She was feeling the same way.

"Yes," he said softly. "I'll get there. Once everything calms down and I can think about this again I'll get there." Glancing down he saw the boy had finally fallen asleep again. Joyce followed his gaze, smiling softly. "We should put them all to bed," he said. She nodded, shaking Dawn gently.

"Dawn? Honey?" Dawn mumbled something under her breath but eventually opened her eyes.

"Bedtime?" she yawned. Joyce nodded.

"Could you take Billy while Rupert and I take care of Buffy?" Dawn nodded, getting to her feet and reaching out for the little boy. She quickly carried him up the stairs, returning for Alex after a few minutes. Meanwhile, Giles gently scooped the Slayer into his arms and carried her into their hospital room. They began her nightly routine, watched carefully by Gregory. Giles started, gently stretching out and working all of her muscles. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but the movement woke the young woman and she watched him curiously. "I'll just go get her some pajamas," Joyce said, leaving the room and heading upstairs. She looked into the nursery and saw Dawn watching the sleeping children and smiled. She headed into Buffy's room, awestruck by the changes Xander was able to make in the short time he had. She quickly grabbed some sleepwear, wondered briefly who went shopping on Buffy's behalf, and rejoined Giles, who was just finishing up her stretches.

"Excellent Mr. Giles," Gregory praised. Joyce threw the clothes onto the side table and began her work with her daughter.

"I'll go get the wheelchair so it will be ready for tomorrow," Giles offered. Joyce stopped the sponge bath and looked at Gregory.

"About the chair," she started, turning back to her daughter, who was once again staring intently at her. "It's so big and bulky. Isn't there any way to get a wheelchair that fits her better?" He smiled.

"A custom fitted chair is already on its way," he told her as Giles returned with the borrowed one from the hospital. "It will be smaller for her petite frame and much more comfortable than hospital chair. Plus, it will be fully customizable when you figure out what she needs and what works best."

"How much will this cost?" she asked as she turned back to her daughter. She had just finished paying of the medical bills from her own near death experience. And while they had once again become self-sufficient and didn't need to rely on the Council to fund them, they still were on a tight budget. She had already gotten a bill from the hospital in New York, who were helpfully not charging her for her daughter's whole stay. Just thinking about it made her angry. She realized her hands were shaking, which caused Buffy to react to her distress. Giles stepped up to help, grabbing Buffy's hand and bringing her attention to him. Joyce took a deep, calming breath and continued.

"The Council will cover everything," Gregory told her, realizing now how worried she was. "Including Mercy General."

"Thank you," she said honestly. She felt a great weight lift off her shoulders. She was just about to continue when there was a quiet knock on the open door. They all turned to see Tara watching them compassionately.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she told them, "but Willow thinks she's worked out the spell and needs Giles to check over her work." Giles nodded and stood up to go, but Buffy wouldn't relax her grip. He tried to gently remover her hand for several minutes before sighing in frustration.

"Buffy," Joyce called out. "Honey. Let Giles go. He won't be gone long." She tried getting through to her daughter, but Buffy only gripped tighter. She sighed, looking at Giles. "I guess I could trade places with you?" she suggested.

"Then you wouldn't be able to finish her nightly routine," he said, glancing at Gregory.

"I'll help if you absolutely need me to," he told them lightly, "but once I'm gone you'll have to figure these things out. If you can't then you really aren't ready to care for her."

"Let me try," Tara said, heading toward the other side of the bed from where Giles was. She grabbed her other hand, squeezing until the girl looked at her. "It's okay," she said, reaching up and stroking her hair soothingly. Surprisingly this worked. Buffy focused on Tara which allowed her mother to carefully pull back Buffy's fingers until Giles was free.

"I'll be quick," he said as he got to his feet.

"No," Joyce countered. "Take however much time you need to do it right. I don't want anyone in any more danger than necessary." He nodded and left the room. She looked up to the blonde witch. "Are you alright Tara?"

"Yeah," she said, her eyes never leaving Buffy's. Buffy was calming down under her influence. "Go ahead and finish," she said, before stammering. "Unless there's something you don't want me to see."

"I just have to finish the bath then hook up the IV," Joyce told her, starting the sponge bath again, "It's just Anya was the only one who was interested in this part of her care." Tara sighed.

"We were interested," she told her. Joyce raised a challenging eyebrow. "Okay, maybe curious with a big side of embarrassment is the right words. This is really private stuff, so we weren't sure how to act interested without appearing crass." Joyce laughed.

"I guess Anya does have an edge in that department," she told her. She quickly finished and was getting Buffy into her pajamas. The bottom went on easily, but Buffy refused to let go of Tara's hand to get her top on. "I've never seen her act this way," Joyce said as she rounded the bed to help Tara free herself.

"I have," she said, "it's how she acts with you." Between the two of them they managed to break Buffy's grip long enough to get her top on. Buffy immediately reached for a hand, and Tara was surprised when it was hers.

"She must feel safe with you," Joyce said as she hung a new IV, carefully connecting it to the port in her hand. Tara looked at her with scared eyes.

"What do I do?" Joyce smiled reassuringly.

"Try to get her to sleep," she suggested. Tara nodded and tried everything she could think of to get the blonde to rest. Eventually she crawled onto the bed, engulfing the young woman with her arms and singing gently to her. That seemed to do the trick. Joyce smiled as Buffy's eyes drooped, finally staying closed. "I'll just go see how they're doing in the library." Tara nodded. Gregory followed Joyce out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. They reached the library just as Giles put down the spell Willow hastily wrote.

"Will it work?" she asked eagerly. Giles nodded.

"I think it will," he told her. The Scoobies cheered as they all closed their books, Veronica quickly following their lead.

"Great," Xander said. "When do we do this? How much time do we need to set this up?"

"A couple hours," Willow told him. "We can have answers by morning."

"No," Joyce spoke out loud. The group turned to the doorway. Nobody noticed her enter until she spoke up. "We are all exhausted. I won't allow this until everybody gets some sleep." Xander opened his mouth to protest, but a yawn escaped instead. Reluctantly the group admitted she was right.

"I suggest we retire for the night," Giles said.

"What about patrol?" Willow asked. "The demons are still attacking our perimeter."

"Faith and the vampires are more than enough of a match," Giles replied. "And there hasn't been any incursions all night. I think we are secure."

"So we're done for the night?" Anya asked. Giles nodded. Anya squealed. "I'm gonna check the babies. See you upstairs sweetie." She gave Xander a quick kiss before bolting from the room.

"Upstairs?" Veronica asked her brother. "Doesn't everybody have a house?"

"Yes," he told her, "but we also have an annoying habit of not using them in times of crisis." He began picking up books and re-shelving them. The others chipped in and soon the only books on the table were the ones they would be using later.

"I guess I'll go drag Anya away from the kids. Night." Xander waved as he left the room. Willow followed his lead.

"I better go find Tara," she said as she waved goodnight. She found her girlfriend in the little hospital room. She smiled as she quietly opened the door. Tara looked up at the sound. "I leave you alone for one minute and find you in bed with another woman," Willow joked as she approached the bed. Tara smiled and held up their entwined hands.

"She has a tight grip even when she's sleeping," Tara said. Willow nodded, running her hands through her girlfriend's hair.

"I wonder why she reached for you?" Willow said thoughtfully. Tara looked back at her, shocked and slightly hurt and Willow quickly clarified. "Not that there's anything wrong with that it's just she's never sought comfort from anyone but her mother and why wouldn't she look for it with me or Xander since she's known us longer and were her best friends and now I'm babbling and you're supposed to stop me." Tara smiled when Willow finally ran out of breath.

"I still like it when you babble," she said. "But I have been wondering about that too and I have a theory."

"You're channeling Giles," Willow said, pulling up a chair. "So hit me with your theory."

"I think she's still feeling some after affects from getting Spike's blood in her wound." Willow nodded. They could all see Buffy was still feeling sick. "I think she subconsciously realized it was a supernatural illness and embraced a supernatural comfort."

"That makes sense," Willow said. Tara was definitely the most mothering of all the Scoobies. Only Joyce, who was a mother, was more caring. Add in her magical power and she was very much a supernatural safety blanket. One that Buffy wasn't letting go of soon apparently. "I guess I could let you go for one night."

"Or we could share," Tara said, patting the other side of the bed with the arm she wrapped around their friend.

"Is there enough room?" Willow asked. "What if we squish her? What if this makes her uncomfortable? What if she's not ready for this kind of intimate situation?"

"Honey," Tara interrupted her. "You're babbling." Willow smiled.

"That's what you're supposed to do. Stop the babble." She looked at her friend once more, the smile disappearing from her face.

"What's wrong Willow? I know you missed her, even more than I did."

"I did," she admitted, "and it's hard to see her so vulnerable and weak, especially since we know how she got like this. But that's not why I'm afraid. I look at her, all weak and broken, and I can't stop thinking about you."

"Oh," Tara gasped, shocked at what her girlfriend was saying. Willow waved her hand, trying to make the words make sense.

"When you were brain sucked by Glory. I look at my best friend, who really needs me right now, and all I can think about is you when you were like this and I'm happy because it's her and not you and does that make me a horrible person?"

"No sweetie," she told Willow, reaching out awkwardly with the still entwined hand to wipe a tear away from her girlfriend's eye. "That doesn't make you a horrible person. That makes you human."

"That was just the worst few days of my life," Willow told her, grabbing onto their entwined hands so that Buffy's hand was completely surrounded. "And I feel like it's happening again and I should feel worse, but I don't."

"Come lay down sweetie," Tara said again and this time Willow complied. She took off her shoes and laid down on the other side of the Slayer, being extra careful to not disturb the IV line. "It will be okay. Buffy's getting better every day. And we'll help her with whatever she needs."

"But how can we help her when she doesn't talk to us?" Willow questioned. Tara laughed slightly.

"You know not all communication is with words," she reminded her. "Buffy might not talk but she definitely communicates." Willow smiled at her girlfriend, joining their linked hands again. She shifted closer, her arm going around both women as they cuddled with the Slayer between them. Neither noticed Joyce smiling at them from the doorway.


	13. Chapter 13

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Joyce casually stretched as she slowly woke up. She didn't bother setting the alarm, instead letting her body get as much sleep as it wanted. Her bed felt heavenly after the long weeks spent sleeping in hospital chairs. She opened her eyes, trying to make sense of the numbers on her clock. She sighed when she realized the numbers weren't lying and it really was almost ten. Stretching once more she climbed out of bed and put on a bath robe before heading to the kitchen.

"Are you really just getting up?" Dawn asked when she saw her mother.

"I forgot what a pain two A.M. feedings were," Joyce said, heading straight for the coffee pot. "Besides, you're just getting up."

"Yeah, but I'm a teenager," she said as she drained the last of the milk from her cereal. "Anyway I've been up for hours with Buffy."

"Buffy?" Joyce asked, looking around for her oldest. "Where is she?"

"Oh I think they took her downstairs for the spell," Dawn said casually.

"What!" Joyce yelled. That woke her up for more effectively than the stale coffee she had been sipping. "They're doing the spell? Without me?"

"Setting up the spell," Dawn quickly amended. "There's no way Giles would start without you there to hover."

"I do not hover," Joyce grumbled, pouring the old coffee out and making a fresh pot. This time it was Dawn who looked unconvinced. Joyce shrugged. "Okay. Maybe a little. But it's because I worry so much about all of you."

"We know," Dawn told her. They were interrupted by Andrew running up the steps.

"Oh good you're up," he told them, reaching into the cupboard where they kept the formula. "I need to replenish my supply of baby wipes, but I didn't want to enter the nursery until you got up in case the door was open."

"Andrew?" she double checked, not sure if she was remembering his name correctly or not. He nodded as he started mixing a bottle. "What are you doing?"

"Mr. Giles said the spell is all ready to go. We are just waiting on you."

"We?" she asked pointedly. He winced slightly.

"They. They are just waiting on you. But Xander said he wouldn't let me hold Alex until it was time for the spell, since he's part of it, but now that you're awake I can hold her." Joyce just stared at him in disbelief.

"No," she said. "I will hold her." He was visibly hurt by that, but quickly recovered.

"Then I'll be your assistant. I have everything Billy or Alex will need. Formula. Diapers. Ointment. Baby powder. Oh. I need some wipes. Be right back." With that he shot off up the stairs. Joyce looked blankly at where he was standing before turning to Dawn.

"He's been like that all morning," she said, barely keeping a straight face. "He really wants to hold one of the twins, but Xander and Anya aren't letting up. He volunteered to be their assistants. Xander laughed but Anya looked thoughtful and said she always wanted to be a magician and the first thing they did was cut their assistants in half." Joyce laughed at the image before a humbling thought entered her mind.

"She was kidding, right?"

"It's one of the more interesting topics of discussion right now." They shared a look as Andrew came running back down the steps.

"Wipes!" he said triumphantly, sliding the container into a slot on his belt.

"Do I dare ask what you're wearing?" Joyce asked as he stepped up to finish the bottles.

"I call it my Babyman Utility Belt," he told her. She looked at him blankly. "You know how Batman has a utility belt with everything needed for fighting crime? Well, this is my utility belt with everything needed for the twins."

"Lovely," she told him. She felt she really needed something stronger than coffee to get through this conversation.

"I was up all night making it," he said proudly.

"Weren't you supposed to be on watch last night?" Dawn asked.

"I was, but it was so boring." He turned back to the counter, finished mixing the bottles, and whipped them into place on his belt. "Babyman to the rescue," he said as he started to leave the kitchen.

"Not so fast young man," Joyce called out sternly. He stopped and turned around, looking at her curiously. "You made a mess. In this house we clean up our messes."

"Right," he said, hurrying to the counter. "There's no mess too tough for Babyman." He quickly cleaned up after himself before heading down the stairs, leaving the two of them in stunned silence.

"I need a shower," Joyce said, shaking her head slightly to get that encounter out of her mind. "Is mine still down?"

"Yep," Dawn confirmed, trying very hard to not laugh. "You can use mine if you want."

"Does the door lock?" she asked, turning her head toward the basement stairs.

"Absolutely." Joyce nodded, heading upstairs and grabbing some clothes before heading to Dawn's room, locking the door behind her. Twenty minutes later she felt much more awake as she headed to the basement where everyone else was waiting. Slowly sipping her coffee, she took in the scene before her.

A large space had been cleared out in the center of the room. Tara and Willow had prepared the space, circles and symbols she didn't understand spelled out in chalk. The others were spread out around the room. The witches were at a small table, double checking their spell with Dawn and Jonathan looking on curiously. Xander and Anya were on the far side of the room with the twins, trying their best to ignore Andrew. On her right Giles had piled several training mats on top of each other. Buffy was lying on them as Giles did her lower body exercises. Faith and Daniel were watching them, while the Watchers were true to their names and watching everything silently.

"So let me get this straight," Faith said. "You guys go into B's mind and get the information, then me and Daniel get to go kick some demon ass?"

"Basically," Giles said, stretching Buffy's left leg. "Good morning Joyce," he said when he noticed her standing in the doorway. Everyone looked up and casually waved, which she returned, before heading toward Buffy. Buffy looked up as she came over, but her attention was quickly brought back to Giles when he switched to her right leg.

"Dawn said everything was ready," she said. Giles nodded. "Is it safe?" she asked. Everybody looked up at her. Giles sighed, finishing the stretch before getting to his feet.

"It's as safe as it can be," he told her. "Everybody knows the risks and we're all willing to take them." She nodded. She had heard the same thing last night, but it seemed much more real now that the time was here.

"I'm just worried," she admitted. She went over and gave Willow a big hug, followed by Xander, before returning to Giles. "Be careful," she told them all, casually laying her hand on Giles's shoulder. He reached up and gripped her hand tightly before lifting Buffy up and putting her into her place inside the circle. Xander came up and handed Alex to her before taking his spot, while Willow did the same.

"They'll be fine," Tara said, coming to stand next to Joyce. "We double checked everything this morning. They might feel a bit sleepy but that should be the worst of it."

"Unless the Slayer thinks they're attacking and they lose their minds," Joyce said, holding the baby closer. Willow started chanting, Giles joining her after a minute, then everybody fell into a trance. "Now we wait," she said, making herself as comfortable as possible.

* * *

Xander opened his eyes to blackness. "Will?" he called out in a panic. "Giles?"

"Here," Willow reached out and touched his back. He twirled around, grabbing his friend in a bear hug. He saw Giles looking around next to them.

"Where are we?" he asked as he let go. They were surrounded by blackness, but he could see his companions as clear as day.

"Think of it as an antechamber," Willow said. "We figured the best way to appear non-threatening was not to appear inside her mind without her permission."

"The joining part of the spell is being done right now, before we enter," Giles told him, "but there should be some sort of entryway."

"You mean like a door?" Xander asked, pointing off into the distance. A door had just appeared. Willow nodded and the three of them cautiously made their way over. "So do we just go in?" Willow frowned.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. Giles shrugged and reached out to knock. Nothing happened. He looked back to the young friends.

"Buffy!" Xander called out to the darkness. "It's your friends. We're here to help you."

"We're not going to hurt you," Willow called out. "We need your help. We need to ask you something."

"Please," Giles begged, "let us in. If you ever trusted me trust me now." He looked around helplessly when the door stayed closed.

"So now what?" Xander asked. "Do we break it down?"

"That would definitely fall into the threatening category," Giles said bluntly. Willow sighed.

"Maybe we missed something," she said, mentally going over the spell.

"I suggest we leave and regroup," Giles said. "The first part of the spell is working. We just need to work on the second part."

"You're right," Xander said as he and Giles turned back. "There's no point looking for trouble."

"Umm guys," Willow called out. She was facing the door, which was open now. Giles and Xander quickly rejoined her.

"So either it worked or it's a trap," Xander said.

"It worked," Willow said confidently. Xander looked at her.

"I say we go for it," he said, fully trusting his friend. Giles nodded and they slowly stepped through the door and found themselves in a field, the sun shining brightly down upon them. "Whoa. Set change."

"Where are we now?" Willow asked.

"Buffy's mind," Giles answered, looking around carefully. The others followed his lead.

"Umm," Xander was the first to notice. "Where'd the door go?" They followed his gaze, seeing nothing but grassy plain everywhere they looked.

"It served its purpose," Giles told them. "From now on we're on our own."

"So do we just pick a direction and go?" Xander asked. They didn't have any better ideas so they started walking. The grassy plain soon turned into rolling hills. As they crested the first hill they stopped short as the First Slayer suddenly appeared before them. She didn't say anything, instead watched them carefully. "Why is she in chains?" Xander asked. Giles shrugged and moved carefully toward her.

"We are friends," he said slowly, showing his open hands.

"I remember," she spoke harshly, her lips barely moving.

"We need to find Buffy," he told her. She just watched him carefully. Giles looked back at the two young adults.

"We need to find her," Willow tried. The First Slayer continued to stared at them.

"Maybe we can just go around?" Xander asked. Willow shrugged and they cautiously circled around the First Slayer. She watched them go carefully until they finally were out of her sight. Breathing a sigh of relief, they turned around only to come face to face with her again. She immediately jumped at them. Only Giles's quick thinking of pulling Willow and Xander back saved them from getting attacked. The Slayer lunged toward them, but was held by a chain in the ground.

"So maybe we don't have such a warm welcome?" Willow asked as they once again edged around the Slayer.

"We were prepared for a hostile environment," Giles reminded them, as the Slayer appeared before them once more. They didn't try to engage, simply veering around her once more.

"This isn't what I thought Buffy's mind would be like," Xander said as they continued walking.

"What did you think it would be?" Willow asked as they veered around the Slayer once again.

"A shopping mall," Giles said, causing the witch to giggle. "Or perhaps a city?" he asked, looking into the horizon. Several buildings could be seen in the distance. The group started walking towards them.

"Anyone notice the First Slayer hasn't popped up for a while?" Xander said after they had walked a while.

"Maybe she was leading us," Giles suggested. "The only way she knew how."

"We need to teach her the fine art of pointing," Xander said as they climbed yet another hill. At the top they could clearly see the buildings. "Are those?"

"The marks on her back," Giles finished, seeing the marks on the buildings. They slowly approached the buildings, the group getting somber as the buildings began distinguishing themselves.

"There's so many," Willow whispered, her voice shaking. Even Xander was having a hard time maintaining his goofy cheerfulness that he was known for.

"I'm beginning to think maybe her silence is not only physical in nature," Giles said as the grass finally gave way to the concrete of the buildings, "but also psychological."

"Ya think?" Xander snarked. "I've never even taken any psychology classes and I know that something like The Ring would leave you messed up."

"What's happening?" Willow asked. She was sure she read about something like this in her psychology class, but between the Professor turning into Dr. Frankenstein and her own personal problems she was going through at that time, she couldn't for the life of her remember.

"I believe we are witnessing two psychological conditions," Giles explained knowingly. "The first is forgetting for basic survival. It's a fairly common result of long term captivity. The only way to survive is to forget everything about their former lives."

"So the only part of her life she can remember is the hell they put her through?" Xander asked. Giles nodded.

"Unfortunately," he agreed. "The second is compartmentalizing. I think she remembers everything she's been through since being captured by The Ring, only she's boxing the memories up and putting them away. Somewhere they can't hurt her."

"So not only is that all she remembers," Xander amended, horrified by the thought, "but she remembers it all?"

"So it would seem," Giles said solemnly. They stopped walking in the middle of the buildings. Giles began to study the buildings.

"How do you know these things?" Xander asked, his respect for the man increasing.

"I do know how to research more than dusty old tomes," he told them. "Unfortunately old books are much more direct than matters of the mind."

"She's hiding," Willow said, finally understanding what was happening in her friend's mind. Giles nodded.

"But where?" Giles asked. He began leading them through the various buildings.

"But she's safe now," Willow argued. "She can come out of hiding."

"I doubt she realizes that," Giles said, studying the buildings as they walked.

"Giles," Xander interrupted, pointing into the distance. "There's no mark on that one." Giles turned, studying the building intently before walking towards it.

"That's the one I think."

"There's the Horsemen," Willow said, pointing to the next building over. The group stopped between the two buildings.

"Which one?" Xander asked, looking back and forth.

"The unmarked one," Giles said after a minute. Xander nodded, leading the way through the door that suddenly appeared. He had just crossed the threshold when the First Slayer jumped him.

"Giles!" he shouted, automatically falling into his fighting stance. Giles and Willow rushed over to help, but he was able to flip the Slayer on her back and subdue her. "Okay. That shouldn't have happened." The Slayer snarled, throwing a fist at his face, but he was able to grab her fist midair. "Giles?" he asked.

"Umm," he said, perplexed. He pulled Xander back and the three of them stood and watched the First Slayer. "Are you okay?" he asked cautiously, not really expecting an answer. She merely growled.

"Is this because of what happened?" Willow asked. "The Slayer in chains?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "While it's true they did horrible things to Buffy, the Slayer shouldn't have been affected."

"Maybe she's helping Buffy," Xander thought. "Taking part of Buffy's tortures as her own."

"Possibly," Giles admitted. "Buffy and the Slayer have certainly united like no other Slayers ever have."

"I grow weary," the First Slayer suddenly said. "Soon I shall sleep."

"You can sleep now," Giles told her carefully. "You're safe now. Among friends."

"Friends," she whispered, looking at them hopefully. She smiled before slowly disappearing, the chains clanking to the floor once she was gone.

"Okay," Xander said, watching the floor where the Slayer stood. "This just keeps getting weirder and weirder." The others nodded before looking around. They found themselves in a hallway that stretched on either side of them for what seemed forever.

"Where are we Giles," Willow asked again, moving to the door they just came through. It was locked. "Which part of Buffy is this?"

"I'm not sure," he said, trying another door. He could hear movement on the other side, but it too was locked. Xander moved to a third door, which opened. He stuck his head in, only to pull it out a second later and slam the door.

"What is it?" Willow asked. Xander had gone pale and was shaking. She reached for the knob, but Xander quickly stopped her.

"Let's just say that door really needs a mark." Willow paled as she realized what he meant, while Giles closed his eyes in dismay.

"Good Lord," he murmured. "This is where her encounters go until they can be properly filed." He looked down the never ending hallway in disgust. "Come on." He walked down the hallway at random, the other two following him. Occasionally they would try a door, feeling dismay when it wouldn't open and disgust when it did. Finally, the hallway came to an end. They faced the largest set of double doors they had ever seen. Giles reached out, turning the knob easily, and was just about to push it open when a voice stopped him.

"Please don't." They turned to find Buffy standing behind them, the First Slayer behind her.

"Buffy." Relief colored Giles's words as he rushed toward the girl, but he stopped short when she flinched from his touch. "Buffy?" He asked a million different questions with that one name. She shook her head from side to side, backing up a couple steps.

"Please don't," she repeated. She continued to back up, but was stopped by the Slayer, who stood her ground.

"Buffy," Willow tried. "It's us. Your friends."

"I don't have any friends," she said, heartbroken with the statement.

"I'm sorry it took us so long to find you," Xander said, "but you're safe now. They can't hurt you." Buffy laughed manically at that statement.

"All they ever do is hurt me," she cackled. "And no one can ever stop that."

"We can," Giles insisted. "We simply need some information and we can shut them down permanently."

"I wish I could believe you," Buffy said, sliding down to the ground and curling into a ball, "but we've played this game before. There is no escape for me. They own me."

"No they don't," Willow insisted. "Your mom found you and brought you back home. You're safe, but they are still trying to hurt you. They're desperate to keep the information you know from seeing the light of day. Desperate enough to try and kill you."

"Kill me?" Buffy asked, confused. "I'm already dead."

"No you're not," Xander insisted, "but they still try and eventually someone will die. Faith or Daniel or one of the Scoobies." He paused, glancing at her appraisingly before speaking again. "One of you kids."

"Kids?" she asked, getting shakily to her feet and staring hopefully at him. "They made it?"

"Two of them did," Willow said sadly. "One didn't."

"Alexandra Joyce," Xander said softly, inching his way forward, "and William Giles. They're beautiful Buff." With that Buffy fell sobbing into his arms. Willow moved in and hugged her friend from the other side, while Giles watched the heartwarming reunion tearfully. Eventually they pulled away.

"I wish I could know them," Buffy said sadly.

"You can," Willow insisted. "The only person keeping you trapped here is you. And I get it. This is your safe place. The place where they can't hurt you. But all that is over. I know it won't be easy, but the only people waiting for you are your family. And we'll do whatever it takes to help you get through this."

"Thanks Will," Buffy said, wiping several tears away, "but I don't know how to leave, even if I wanted to."

"How about we start with who did this to you," Giles said. Buffy shook her head.

"I can't," she admitted. "I don't know."

"You don't know," Giles repeated, trying to control his anger. He looked around before realization dawned. "You don't remember anything before your re-education and conditioning?"

"No," Buffy shook her head, tears rolling down her cheek. "There's a building with a marking I don't know, but I've never been able to get into it."

"Buffy," he started, stepping forward again. This time she didn't flinch. "I think your memories, and the answers we're looking for, are behind that door. Have you ever opened it?"

"No. I can't." She started shaking at the mere thought.

"You can," he told her, heading toward the door once more. The Slayer growled warningly, but he ignored her. Instead he put his hand on the knob and turned.

"Please don't," she begged again. Giles sighed, releasing the knob but not moving his hand.

"What are you afraid of Buffy?" he asked tiredly, finally turning to face her.

"If you open that door," she said timidly, "they all will open." He thought about how best to soothe her but Xander beat him to it.

"If you don't open that door they win," he said simply. "And I know you're stronger than a bunch of demons on your worst day." She closed her eyes and nodded. Giles twisted the knob for the third time, this time actually applying force to the door. It didn't move. He looked back at his Slayer. The First Slayer was whispering something into her ear, but he couldn't make it out. Suddenly Buffy shot to her feet, a determination shining in her eyes that he realized he missed sorely.

"I can't go through it," she said, somehow managing to keep her voice steady, "but I can open it for you. Just don't think too badly of me."

"Never dear girl," he told her, smiling softly. She returned the smile slightly, before pulling open the door. On the other side was chaos, a nightmarishly hellish place that had no reason of any kind. Buffy was cowering behind the door as if that could keep the sights and sounds from reaching her. Giles held out his hands to Willow and Xander, wincing slightly at their tight grip.

"See you soon," Xander said, and as one they stepped into a living hell.


	14. Chapter 14

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"How long is this supposed to take?" Joyce asked. It had been nearly an hour since they entered Buffy's mind. Xander, Willow, and Giles appeared to be in a trance, while Buffy just looked groggy.

"There's no way of knowing how long it will take," Tara told her calmly.

"Okay," she tried a different tactic. "When do we start worrying that it didn't work and they're losing their minds?"

"They'll need to come out of the trance first," Gregory tried to reassure her. "As long as they're in the trance they're still under the influence of the spell. Of course if it didn't work and they've already lost their minds they probably wouldn't know how to break the spell."

"Not helping," Joyce gritted out through clenched teeth. Dawn quickly stepped in and pulled Alex from her increasingly strong grip. Joyce looked sheepish when she realized she was using the baby as a stress ball. She smiled thankfully at her youngest before starting to pace.

"Joyce?" Veronica asked. "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry," Dawn said as she joined Anya on the far side of the room. "This is just her hover mode."

"I do not hover," Joyce automatically replied. Anya raised a challenging eyebrow at that and she backed down. "Okay I do. But it's only from worrying too much." Veronica shot her a sympathetic smile just as a bright light filled the circle. They turned their heads automatically and a second later the light vanished. Turning back, they could see everybody slumped on the ground.

"Oh God," Xander said, pushing to his feet and rushing into the bathroom. They could hear him being violently sick. Willow followed, but she didn't make it to the bathroom. She grabbed the first garbage can she could see before vomiting. They were both crying uncontrollably. Anya handed off Billy to an overly excited Andrew as she and Tara rushed to their side. Joyce watched them for a moment, torn over who to go to first, when she remembered the third person who entered Buffy's mind. She glanced over, expecting to see Giles crying silently. Instead she saw barely controlled anger and rage that made her take a step back.

"What happened?" she asked, heading over to Willow and Tara and putting her arms around the red head.

"We saw what they did to her," Giles answered darkly. "Everything." He glanced over to Faith. "Are you ready to go?"

"Are you okay G?" she countered. She had never seen Giles look so out of control.

"I will be once they are all dead." Joyce gasped when she realized Ripper was definitely in control here. He turned to Daniel. "We need to go to Russia. Can you teleport us?"

"I've never teleported anyone but Faith," he warned them, "and never that far, but the principle is the same. It should be no problem."

"Then gear up. We're leaving now." He grabbed his own weapons before turning to his father. "If there are any Watchers near St. Petersburg you might want to warn them."

"About what Rupert?" he asked, slightly scared of his son.

"The Hellmouth there is about to become active again," he said darkly, "and there's going to be lots of dead demons they will need to clean up after." Faith and Daniel shared a look but joined him. They joined hands and soon were gone.

"Be careful," Joyce called just before they teleported away. She glanced up as Xander emerged from the bathroom, leaning heavily on Anya. "What happened?" she asked, rushing over to his side and helping Anya guide him onto the couch before he collapsed.

"It was bad," was all he could say before bursting into tears once more. Joyce quickly pulled him into her arms, comforting him in the way only a mother could. Tara got Willow onto the couch opposite Xander, and she soon had her arms full. The two friends were sobbing uncontrollably into her shirt while she whispered soothing words to them. Joyce couldn't help but glance in Buffy's direction, afraid what her daughter's reaction would be based on their reactions. She was preparing for the worst, but let out of sigh of relief when Buffy continued to stare lazily around her.

"Anya? Could you?" she asked, jerking her head in Buffy's direction.

"Of course," Anya told her, crossing the room and quickly lifting Buffy's prone form off the floor. She quickly had her situated in the chair and securely strapped in. She crossed back to Xander. "What can I do?" she asked uncomfortably. She was still leery of human emotions, especially such strong ones from her husband. Joyce shook her head before she noticed something.

"Can you please go take Billy away from Andrew?" she asked. Anya jumped as if just realizing what she did. She quickly headed to Andrew, who gave up the baby without any fuss. He was smiling contently, as if he just fulfilled his entire purpose in life and was about to be rewarded.

"I can't believe I let Andrew hold him," she said, sitting down carefully on the other side of Xander, the baby firmly on her lap. "Willingly."

"No harm done," she reassured her. Anya just nodded unconvincingly. Joyce just closed her eyes, surprised when she realized Xander had cried himself to sleep and Willow wasn't that far behind. What could they have seen that made their reactions that strong? Joyce thought about it for a minute before deciding she didn't want to know.

* * *

Hours later Daniel teleported back in with Faith and Rupert. All three of them were covered in blood and gore. "Oh God!" Faith exclaimed. She barely had time to reach for a can before she was sick too. Joyce wanted to head for the dark Slayer, but was reluctant to disturb the two kids who were using her as a pillow. Thankfully Veronica had similar thoughts.

"Oh Faith," she whispered, pulling the girl into her arms. Faith wasn't openly sobbing, but her entire body was shaking like a leaf. Knowing the young girl was being taken care of Joyce turned her attention to the men. Giles had calmed down, his stoic English mask once more firmly in place, but there was a fire in Daniel's eyes that scared her. She realized he was barely keeping his demon in check.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"The Ring's re-education center is closed for business," Daniel said, taking several steadying breathes. Faith looked up.

"We saw what they were doing to their slaves," she told them. "What they did to B." She shuddered. "And the worst part was they weren't all demons." Joyce nodded, wishing she could be more surprised by that but finding herself suddenly cynical. Humans were part of The Ring's operation. It made sense they were part of the training and conditioning too.

"The re-education center was their main office," Giles told the group, "but there are several more arms that will need to be dealt with." He grabbed a piece of paper and began writing down locations. "Now that you know what to look for they shouldn't be able to hide from you."

"We're on it," Faith said, pushing away from Veronica, but to her surprise the Watcher held steady.

"Not tonight you're not. You're exhausted, emotional, and in shock. Tonight you will process what you saw and sleep. In the morning we will deal with these arms." Faith looked at her in disbelief. "And that goes for you too young man," Veronica added, giving Daniel her best glare.

"What about patrol?" Faith asked.

"Spike and Angel can handle it," Giles said, finishing his list. He made two copies, handing one to his father. "She's right. Tonight we need sleep before we go in halfcocked and get someone hurt." Faith nodded, letting Veronica pull her back into her embrace. "Besides that will give the Council some time to get Watchers to all these places."

"Won't that give them time to go underground?" Tara asked. Giles shook his head.

"They rarely communicate except for harvest time. They should stay put until we get there." Albert took the paper Rupert held out to him.

"I'll arrange the Watchers to start gathering in various staging points," he said. "Are any targets more important than the others?"

"No," Giles shook his head. "We already took out the head. These are just the arms." Albert nodded, heading up the stairs, already planning the logistics of the move. Giles watched him go before turning back to the group. He smiled softly at the sight of Xander and Willow asleep in Joyce's arms, and the sight of the typically strong dark Slayer allowing her Watcher to comfort her, before his eyes fell on his own Slayer. She gazed back at him curiously with that same little smile she always wore when she saw the members of the Scooby gang. It was the smile that was his undoing. His mask finally slipped as the first tears fell. Once they started he found he couldn't stop them.

"It's okay." He blinked through the tears, surprised to see Dawn put her arms around him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, sinking to the floor and taking Dawn with him. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," she continued to reassure him. She shared a quick look with her mom as she comforted the strongest man she ever knew.

* * *

Giles woke up in an unfamiliar location. Frowning, he looked around before placing his location. He was in his new room. The sky was dark outside his bedroom window and he realized he must have been asleep for hours. He pulled the covers off him, cheeks blushing when he realized he not only cried himself to sleep, but someone had put him to bed, complete with taking off his blood soaked clothes. He climbed into the shower, emerging five minutes later feeling more like himself, threw on whatever clothes he saw first, and left his room. He heard soft laughter coming from the nursery and stopped there first.

"Rupert," Veronica said when she saw him standing in the doorway. She and Dawn were sitting in the rocking chairs, the twins nursing contentedly in their laps. "I was just telling Dawn some amusing anecdotes from your childhood." Giles groaned.

"You really wanted to be a grocer?" Dawn asked. She could barely contain her laughter.

"I was five," he countered, "and at the time our grocer gave me free candy whenever I saw him." Dawn laughed. "Besides I eventually aspired to a much cooler profession."

"That he did," Veronica said. "For a while there he would hold his arms out a roar whenever he walked anywhere."

"I did not roar. It was the sound of the engine," he complained. Veronica continued.

"I had just learned of demons and was extremely concerned he had been possessed. Much to our parents' amusement." Dawn had her hands on her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to muffle her laughter. Veronica was chuckling quietly, and even the twins seemed caught up in the moment and were smiling and cooing.

"The innocence of youth," Giles said, finally allowing the smile to show on his face. He reached out a finger. Billy grabbed hold, smiling up at the older man. "Where is everyone?" he asked Veronica. She stopped laughing, but still held on to her smile.

"Sleeping, for the most part," she told him. He nodded, expecting that answer.

"Joyce?" he asked, looking across the room and through the open door at an empty bed.

"With Buffy," Dawn said. "Giles?" she asked, all the laughter fading from her voice. "What did you see?" He shook his head. Dawn sighed, looking back at the baby in her lap. Alex had finished her bottle and was starting to nod off. She was unprepared when he spoke.

"Something that will haunt me until my dying breath." He reached down and pulled Alex off her lap, cradling her against his chest. "Think of worst, most terrifying and horrible situation you can, then multiply it by a thousand. Then convince yourself that the hell you find yourself in is normal. That is what The Ring does. That is what they did to your sister. That is what we saw." Dawn paled as she tried to do as he told her. He turned to his sister. "Xander and Willow?"

"Still sleeping," she indicated the hallway. "Tara and Anya are with them. Faith woke up about an hour before you did asked if she could go on patrol."

"She needs her sleep if she's going to take out the next arms," Giles reminded her. Veronica nodded.

"She also needed an outlet for all that raw emotion. The Order of Taraka is still attacking the perimeter constantly. While Spike and Angel are doing an admirable job defending the line, letting Faith join them seemed like the best option. She promised to only stay out for a few hours, giving her plenty of time for sleep before they take out the next arm."

"And Daniel?" he asked.

"He is with his mother," she said carefully, glaring at him. He looked sheepishly. "Why did you never tell me about him?"

"I wasn't sure where your loyalties would lie," he admitted.

"The Council needs to know," she insisted.

"So they can order Buffy to terminate him?" he countered. "Or Faith? The two of them have gotten extremely close over the last few years. Do you think she could kill her boyfriend? Do you think she would simply because the Council ordered it?" They were both silent for a few minutes. "The Council knows everything they need to know about Daniel." Veronica was quiet as she contemplated what he said.

"How do you know what information to pass on and what to keep to yourself?" she asked as he turned to leave the room. He paused in the doorway, Alex clutched tightly to his chest.

"It's simple. If the information can hurt my family, it doesn't leave this house." He left her pondering this statement and made his way downstairs. He entered the hospital room, watching as Joyce worked with Buffy's lower body, doing the exercises he was supposed to do. "Hello," he said softly, seeing Daniel asleep in one of the chairs next to the bed.

"Rupert," she greeted, not pausing in her routine. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much," he told her, leaning casually against the wall. She glanced over, frowning at the sight of Alex sleeping in his arms, but didn't comment. "How did Buffy do the rest of the day?"

"Better than all of you," she said, repositioning her daughter so she could finish the rest of the stretches. "I've watched her carefully all day long. She hasn't so much as twitched differently."

"Thank God," Giles said. Joyce finished and placed Buffy on her back before carefully hooking up an IV into the port on her arm. That was the last step on her nightly list. She smiled slightly when she saw Giles, but her eyelids were drooping and they both knew she would be asleep within minutes. Joyce tucked her in securely, bending over to give her a quick kiss to her forehead, before stepping over to the other man.

"On a scale of one to ten," she started, her eyes never leaving her daughter, "how bad was it?"

"Can you go any higher," he asked wearily. They quietly watched as Buffy lost her battle with sleep.

"I need to know," Joyce said softly. Giles sighed, knowing she of all people had the right to know exactly what her daughter went through.

"Azeroth teleported to Russia," he told her. She nodded. After the fight with the Horsemen, the Scoobies spent many nights and many discussions trying to figure out where Buffy was and what exactly happened. Giles was simply just confirming some of their suspicions. Giles continued, his voice almost breaking with the news, "bringing Buffy with him. After she killed him, she tried to get back home. She saw smoke in the distance and started toward it. The demons came out of nowhere, surrounding her before she could even fight back. She was weak, barely able to defend herself. When the demons realized exactly who she was and what they had stumbled upon, they decided to capture rather than kill."

"Oh God," Joyce exclaimed, closing her eyes in horror. She could picture the scene in her head. Giles paused, debating whether to continue or not. She opened her eyes, giving him a little nod.

"Azeroth nearly broke her," he continued. "It didn't take them long to finish what he started. She still fought them, but she was weak, traumatized, and going through withdrawal." He paused, his throat getting tight, but Joyce knew what he was unable to say. "After they broke her they began her re-education. The abuses they inflicted on her were inhuman. Worse they eventually convinced her that the hell she lived was normal and what she deserved. After that it was relatively easy to train her to obey."

"How do we fix it?" she whispered. He bowed his head, cradling the child he held tightly.

"I don't know," he admitted softly. He looked up, catching her eyes for the first time since entering the room. "There is hope. When we were in her mind we spoke to Buffy."

"She's still in there?" Joyce asked, reaching her hands out for her granddaughter. Giles reluctantly handed her over, knowing she needed the comfort more than he. He nodded. "Then we'll do everything we can to bring her back."


	15. Chapter 15

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"It looks like a hospital bed." Joyce frowned when Anya's sharp voice penetrated her sleep. As she tried to wake up she thought about the events of the last night. She and Rupert spent hours watching Buffy as she slept, gaining little comfort from her peaceful form. Faith eventually returned from her patrol, waking up Daniel gently, before they retired to their favorite guest room. The two older adults followed their example, stopping just long enough to put Alex to bed before retiring to their own beds. That was around two in the morning. Joyce knew she had tossed and turned for a few hours before she was finally able to sleep. She glared at her clock. It was barely eight. What in the world were people doing awake at this time of the day? She was about to roll over and fall back asleep when she heard Xander answer.

"That's because it essentially is a hospital bed." His voice sounded strange which effectively woke her up. She sat up, looking around her room until she found where the voices were coming from. Buffy's room. The door Xander has just installed was closed, but it did little to hide the voices coming from the other side. She put on her robe before opening the door. She saw Xander and Giles struggling to get the bed into position. Anya was watching helpfully from the other side, ready to hand Xander whatever tools he needed.

"Good morning Joyce," she greeted when the door joining their rooms opened. "I hope we didn't wake you? We were trying to be quiet."

"It's okay," she said, yawning despite her best attempt to stifle it. "This is her new bed?"

"Yep," Xander said, as he struggled with the frame. "The stuff Ben ordered just arrived."

"What are you trying to do?" Joyce asked. She had helped put several beds together in her lifetime. None of them took this much effort.

"The bed is fully adjustable," he said, "which means it has to be anchored to the floor. And anchored exactly."

"It's putting up a fight," Giles said as they slowly moved the bed frame inches at a time. "And I think it's winning."

"Wait," Xander said, "Just a bit more. Yes." Anya quickly handed him the drill he needed to secure the frame to the floor. A few minutes later the frame was secured and Giles gratefully relaxed his grip. "Ready for the second frame?" Xander asked.

"Give me a minute," Giles said, breathing hard. "That was a bit heavier than I expected." Xander frowned.

"The bed will be heavier. Maybe we need Daniel's help."

"Or Spike," Anya said. Joyce looked at her in confusion. "He didn't go back to his crypt last night," she explained.

"Is he okay?" Joyce asked. Spike rarely stayed at the house overnight, preferring his crypt. Anya and Xander shared a look.

"He seemed a bit shaken," Xander said quietly. Joyce sighed, heading towards the hallway. She headed downstairs, slightly startled at the boxes that littered the entryway.

"How much did they order?" she asked out loud before making her way into the kitchen for coffee.

"Just because I was in one of these bloody things does not mean I know how to put one together," Spike grumbled. Joyce looked up in surprise. Spike was in the dining room with the witches, struggling to put together Buffy's new wheelchair.

"There's instructions," Tara said helpfully, holding out an unfolded piece of paper that was almost as big as she was.

"I've got all the pieces lined up," Willow added helpfully.

"I think I've got these two rods lined up," Spike said suddenly. "I need which screw?" He threw Tara an inquisitive look. She quickly checked the instructions.

"Fourteen A," she said suddenly. Willow quickly handed the vampire the screw and the screwdriver to tighten it. A few seconds later he grinned in triumph.

"Step one done." He looked at Tara. "How many steps are there?"

"Forty-seven," she told him, "but we need to do some of them twice." His face fell.

"Like step one?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. Willow grimaced.

"We are building the frame of the wheelchair," Tara told him, "and it does have two sides." Spike sighed as he began looking for the other pieces he would need to assemble until he saw Joyce standing in the doorway.

"Joyce," he greeted. "Want to lend a bloke a hand?"

"No thank you," she said, smiling at them, "but if you want to take a break I could use some company." They all nodded and followed her into the kitchen. She quickly poured coffee for all of them and prepared a mug of blood for Spike. "So what's all this?" she asked, gesturing to the boxes they could see in the hallway.

"The stuff Ben ordered arrived," Willow told her. "Mostly the bed and the chair, though there's some railings and stuff for the bathroom too."

"I offered to help the whelp put these things together. Volunteered to help with the chair. Thought it would be easier than the bed," Spike grumbled.

"It's easier," Xander said as he led Anya and Giles down the stairs. He and Giles were both rubbing their shoulders sorely. "But the frame is finally secured. Now we can work on the second, some assembly required frame."

"Well we all need some breakfast first," Joyce said. She made her way to the stove and started preparing pancakes. "Where's Dawn and everybody else?"

"Dawn is using the time honored excuse of babysitting to get out of work," Xander told her. Anya pouted, upset that Dawn had beaten her to that excuse. "She took the twins into the hospital room and says they are not coming out until all the boxes are clear. Safety hazard for the children."

"Wish I thought of that," Anya mumbled under her breath.

"Veronica and my father are in my flat," Giles added, "claiming Council business, though they were gracious enough to take Andrew and Jonathan out of our hair."

"And we woke up Faith and Daniel even though we were trying to be quiet," Willow added. "They headed over to someone's house to rest up before they take out the next arm." Willow looked at her with wide eyes. "Oh. I guess we woke you up too. Sorry."

"It's okay," she said, quickly frying up some bacon to go with the pancakes. Once everything was cooked she placed the large stack of pancakes in the middle of the island. They were gone within minutes.

"What?" Xander asked, fidgeting slightly as Joyce kept shifting her gaze between him and Willow.

"Are you two okay?" she asked in concern as she brought a plate full of bacon to the island. Xander put his fork down and shared a long look with Willow.

"No," he admitted. "I am so very not okay. Words can't describe what they did to her. And we experienced it through her memories, so it was like they did that stuff to us too. So no. I won't be okay for a very long time." He looked around the island, reaching his hand out to Anya, who immediately took it. He noticed Tara wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. "But this helps. Being around family who will listen while you rant, who will hold you while you cry, who care without passing judgement. I realized last night that this wasn't just Buffy's burden, or ours, but this one falls on the whole family. And I think we're strong enough together to beat it."

"Here here," Willow echoed, tears in her eyes.

"Well said Xander," Giles gave his approval. Even Spike wiped away a tear before tearing into his blood like never before.

"So," Xander said, trying to break the silence that fell after his speech. He turned to Spike. "Wanna swap? I'll take the chair if you finish the bed."

"Not on your life whelp," he answered. "The ladies and I have finally got a system worked out."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "We've even almost finished step one."

"You have instructions?" Anya asked. Joyce smiled as she quickly finished her plate.

"I'm just gonna take a plate to Dawn then grab a shower," she told them, "then I will be available to help whoever needs me the most." They nodded as the conversation turned to whether or not instruction writers were demons or just plain evil people. She quickly fixed a plate then headed for the hospital room, knocking gently as she opened the door.

"I can still see boxes," Dawn said without looking up. She was playing with Billy, who was latching onto her finger and giggling softly.

"I know," Joyce said, which caused Dawn to look up quickly. "Safety hazard."

"Oh hi Mom," Dawn said, picking Billy up and placing him in a swing. She noticed that Alex was also in her swing.

"I brought you some breakfast."

"Thanks. I was starving." Dawn was already reaching for the plate. Joyce folded her arms, leaning on the wall as she watched her youngest.

"You know you can leave the room right?" she asked. Dawn looked up sheepishly. "The twins are fine. They're not getting out of their swings any time soon. It's okay to leave them for a few minutes to get something to eat. I promise I won't let them put you to work."

"It's not that," she said as she slowly cut up her pancakes.

"Dawn?" Joyce prompted. Dawn sighed.

"I didn't want Buffy waking up alone," she admitted, not looking up from her plate. "I know it's bad and I know you guys won't tell me anything, but I do have a good imagination and know what would have had to happen for Xander, Willow, and Giles to react that strongly and after all that was stirred up I just didn't want Buffy waking up alone."

"That's very thoughtful," Joyce said, moving to stand behind Dawn. She brushed her long, brown hair while Dawn ate her breakfast. When she was done she kissed her lightly on her temple. "Buffy is very lucky to have you as her sister."

"Thanks," Dawn smiled, leaning back against her mom. Joyce put her arms around her, the two of them savoring the moment together before Joyce straightened up.

"I can stay for a few minutes if you need to leave."

"Thank you," Dawn cried, rushing out of the room. A few seconds later she heard the door to the bathroom slam shut. She chuckled lightly, turning to watch her other daughter sleep. A few minutes later Dawn came back.

"Come get me when she wakes up," Joyce instructed, picking up the plate now that Dawn was finished. Dawn nodded, retaking her seat at her sister's side. "And I need to use your shower again."

"That's okay," Dawn told her, "but I would recommend locking the door again. Andrew isn't hovering but they still have parts and pieces scattered around everywhere, including my room. Don't want anyone to accidentally walk in on you." Joyce smiled, taking the plate back to the kitchen. Giles was just finishing the dishes and he quickly cleaned the last plate before heading back upstairs. Joyce followed him, grabbing some clothes before heading to Dawn's room. Taking her advice, she locked the door before starting her shower. Twenty minutes later she found herself helping Xander as they tried to get the newly assembled bed frame into place.

"This bad boy will be fully adjustable," he was telling her as they held the pieces in place while he screwed them onto the metal frame bolted to the floor. "The height can be adjusted with a push of a button. Same with the angle of the head and the foot of the bed. We can even rotate it three hundred and sixty degrees if we need to."

"Plus it has a double cotton quilted top for extended use comfort," Anya said as she dutifully handed the screws and bolts to Xander. "And the best part is it's a standard queen sized bed so we won't have to special order any bedding."

"And once we get everything set up we'll be able to control everything from the bed," he said as he screwed in the last bolt. Everyone sighed as they released their grip. The bed frame stayed exactly as it should. "The lights, the heat, the TV."

"TV?" Joyce asked. "We are not putting a TV in here."

"How else are we going to lie on this amazingly comfortable bed and watch TV?" Anya asked, before adding, "with Buffy."

"She's not going to be up to doing much right away," Xander reminded her. "What better way to pass the time." Joyce sighed. Xander was right.

"Fine," she relented. "But just a small one." Xander gave Anya a high five.

"Xander," Giles frowned, standing straight as he addressed the young man. "Have you given any thought to the problem with the stairs?" Joyce blinked, realizing for the first time that they were on the second floor. How could she have forgotten that?

"I have," he said proudly. "The smaller steps are no problem. I can easily make a ramp and have even begun designing several options, but the stairs inside the house are a bit trickier. Luckily Wayne designed this with a very open floor plan which leaves plenty of room for a wheelchair. Once we overcome the stair problem we'll be good to go."

"And how do we overcome the stair problem?" Joyce asked.

"Ben sent some brochures on various stair lifts, but to be honest they're bulky, unattractive, and we can do better. Plus, they're really not meant to be in homes with small kids. You know, safety hazards."

"What do you propose?" Giles asked carefully. Xander grinned.

"I think we should put in a lift."

"An elevator?" Joyce asked.

"No," Xander quickly explained. "An elevator uses a pulley system to raise and lower a box to various heights." Joyce nodded her head, with him so far. "A lift uses a hydraulic system to raise and lower a section of the floor to various heights."

"Like when I take the car to the shop and they put it up on a lift," Joyce said, understanding what he was going for. "Why not just get an elevator?"

"Well they take up more space, cost more to operate, and are generally designed for commercial use, not home use."

"And a lift?" Giles asked. "Do they design those for home use?"

"Yep. I've already looked into it. It won't take up much room, just a section of the last guest room on this floor and a small part of the library on the main floor. The basement will need more room though, since all the machinery will be located there."

"So let me get this right," Joyce said, studying him intently. "For safety reasons, you don't want to install a chairlift on the stairs because the twins might play on it and fall, but you're okay leaving a hole in the middle of the floor?" Xander grinned.

"Yep," he said. Anya looked at him awkwardly before leaning toward Joyce.

"Is this guy logic Willow keeps talking about?" she whispered, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. Giles grinned, turning his back as he desperately tried not to laugh.

"Absolutely," Joyce sighed, raising her eyes upward. "Men and their tools." Xander laughed at that one. "I guess it won't hurt to see what you come up with," she said.

"We have plenty of time," Xander said, grinning crazily. "For modifications like this we'll have to get approval from the zoning board. They won't be meeting until the beginning of next month."

"Will they deny our request?" Giles asked. "Do we need to get the Council involved?"

"Shouldn't be necessary," Xander said as he double checked the frame. "We have a legitimate need. Ben already said he would be willing to officially state that for the record, even swear to it in court if needed." Joyce nodded as Dawn rapped on the door.

"She's awake," Dawn said, heading back downstairs without looking to see if anyone was following. Joyce and Giles followed her. Xander looked on in confusion.

"Morning routine," Anya answered his unspoken question. "The spent IV bag gets removed and the ostomy bag changed, whether it's full or not. Joyce will give her a sponge bath, since the bathroom isn't quite ready yet, and dress her. Next Giles will go through the morning exercise routine." She looked over at the bed frame. "Is it time for the mattress yet?" Xander nodded, leading them downstairs.

"How do you know all of this?" he asked.

"We all should know this," she told him. They entered the kitchen in time to see Spike put the newly assembled wheelchair on the ground.

"Ta da," he grinned as he gave it an experimental push.

"Nice," Anya said, helping herself to a glass of water before turning back to Xander. "What if something happened to everybody and you had to care for her? Do you know what to do?"

"What?" Xander asked, looking to the witches to see if they had any insight. Anya glared at him before looking to Willow.

"He doesn't know about the morning routine."

"Ah," Willow said, smiling slightly. "Dare I ask about the nightly routine?"

"What?" Xander asked again.

"Feeding time?" Tara asked, joining in the fun and poking him slightly in the side. Xander looked from woman to woman and sighed. He turned to Spike, hoping to find him as confused as he was, but he only smirked back.

"Hers or mine?" he asked. Xander huffed.

"Fine, I've been a bad friend," he admitted, "but I was busy."

"We know," Willow assured him, giving him a playful slap to the chest. "And you haven't been a bad friend. Look at everything you did for her."

"Right," he said, puffing out his chest. "I am good friend builder guy. And now I will be good friend helper guy. So what are these routines I'm hearing about?"

"I find the nightly one more interesting," Anya said helpfully. "Since it involves bowel movements."

"Anya!" Xander gasped. Anya was ready to say more when there was a knocking at the door.

"Saved by the bell," Willow laughed as she went to open the front door. The Watchers were standing patiently, waiting, while the nerds were discussing something a few feet behind them. Willow opened the door wide, letting everyone in.

"It seems the shipment has arrived," Gregory said, mentally counting the boxes he could see. He was overjoyed when he saw the assembled chair. "Wonderful," he said, examining it closely to make sure it was put together correctly. "We could work on the bed next. It can be trickier than the chair."

"Wonderful," Xander said repeated, "but I've already started the bed. The frame is put together. We just need to move the mattress."

"Amazing," Gregory patted Xander on the shoulder. "You seem to have a knack for medical equipment. Not many people can assemble a chair and bed from scratch."

"Not a knack for assembling medical equipment," Xander told him bluntly, "just a knack for helping my friends out in whatever way I can. And if you want to gush about the chair you should get your facts straight. I didn't do anything with the chair. Spike did."

"The vampire?" Gregory asked. "What would a vampire know about human medical equipment?" He jumped slightly when said vampire emerged from the shadows.

"Heya doc," Spike smirked, before turning to Xander. "What the hell was that about whelp? Usually you're first in line for a little Spike bashing and now you're defending my honor?"

"I don't know," Xander admitted. "I don't know what came over me. I just felt a sudden need to protect the Scoobies and you were the one he went after."

"I guess that is better than discussing bowel movements," Spike said, his characteristic smirk firmly on his face. Xander shuddered.

"Don't worry sweetie," Anya said softly. "We'll discuss that later."

"Can't wait," he said as Faith and Daniel walked through the open door.

"Are we ready to party?" she asked as Giles slowly joined them. "What's up G? Where's your game face?"

"I think I'll leave this one up to you," he told her, leaning against the walls tiredly. "Last night I returned to a place I never wanted to go. I let Ripper lose. I can't do that again."

"You wailed last night," Faith said with awe. "You can't say you didn't like punishing them for what they did to B."

"I did," he admitted. "A little too much." He pushed off the wall, coming to stand in front of her. "A Slayer does not punish the guilty. She protects the innocent. We forgot that last night. I forgot that."

"Are you saying that we should just let them get away with this?" she asked outraged. He shook his head.

"No," he said gently, "but if we lose ourselves in our vengeance, in our retribution, we become the monsters we are charged to fight." He held her gaze until she nodded.

"We still need to stop them," she said, but her tone was much more calm and controlled.

"You will," he told her confidently. "Do you remember the signs I showed you?" he asked, looking at Daniel as well. They both nodded. "Those are the entrance markers. Find them and you will find their lair. Stop them and shut down their horrendous operation, but remember why you're doing it." She nodded again, breathing deeply to calm her bloodlust. He turned to his father. "Is the Council ready?"

"Watchers are being staged in the places you listed last night," he confirmed. "We also have local law enforcement ready and standing by." He handed the list Giles gave him last night over to Faith. "Whenever you are ready, Slayer."

"Let's gear up," she said, putting the list in her pocket. She turned to get her weapons.

"Before you go, do you think you could help us move a mattress?" Xander asked.

* * *

The rest of the day moved quickly. The Giles family returned to his house where they monitored Faith's cleanup effort. Gregory helped Xander finish with the bed, then helped him install the railings and the equipment in the bathroom. Spike seemed determined to help every step of the way. At first Xander just thought Spike wanted to prove something to the doctor, but the first time Spike growled unexpectedly and Gregory jumped Xander knew better. Instead of intervening, he sat back and enjoyed watching the show play out, though he almost broke a rib trying not to laugh at the terrified look on Gregory's face when Spike put on his game face halfway through. He could tell Spike was enjoying himself too. He never thought he would see the day when he and the bleached menace would bond over terrifying someone.

"This is beautiful Xander," Joyce gushed as he showed her the newly renovated bathroom. Along with the new shower and Jacuzzi tub, it gained a second sink, large medicine cabinet, and even a couple chairs in the corner next to the scale. Plus, everything was done in the granite countertops she preferred. She pulled him into a big hug. Xander returned it before pulling away. He quietly went to join Anya.

"Hey!" Spike protested. "I helped."

"Thank you," she said, giving the vampire a quick hug as well. She released him and headed over to Gregory. He was calibrating the scale they had installed. "And thank you. I don't know what I would have done without your help."

"You would have figured it out," he told her honestly. He finished his calibrations before standing up and facing them. "Your daughter is a very lucky young woman. We've forgotten that at the Council. We focus on the Slayer, but we often forget there's a very real young girl as well. This experience has opened my eyes. I think we both learned something from this." He turned to the vampire. "You've also taught me something. I freely admit the Council can be rather arrogant, but I never realized how bigoted they had allowed themselves to become. Just because something is different does not make it inherently bad." He held out his hand to Spike. "Before I go, I just want to apologize for my behavior. I have not been treating you with the respect you have more than earned. I'm sorry."

"It's okay doc," Spike said, shaking his hand. "I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't need to be used to it," he said sadly, giving one last shake before letting go. Spike sighed, before facing the Watcher.

"You're right," he said. "And you're right. Vampires and demons are not friendly. You shouldn't welcome them with open arms, that's likely to get you killed. If there's one thing the Watcher's Council has figured out over the years, its survival. Survival of the Watchers anyway. Those lessons will keep you alive in our world."

"But you're not like that," Gregory countered. Spike shook his head.

"I'm unique, even for a vampire. Now I'm not saying you should drop your weapons and hold hands with every demon you meet, but the world is changing. Demons are too, but they'll never change if you don't give em a chance."

"I'll keep that in mind," he told the vampire. Spike nodded, leaving the room quickly. Gregory turned to Joyce.

"You're leaving?" she asked as she examined the scale. He nodded.

"I'm heading over to Russia to help the victims of The Ring," he told her. "I'm not needed here anymore and there's so much to do there."

"Thank you for your help," Joyce repeated. He smiled.

"You never needed it." He smiled at her, shaking her hand too. "If you ever need my help, or just want to talk, you have my number. Day or night." She nodded and he excused himself to go pack. She stood there gazing at her functional, yet beautiful bathroom before her gaze drifted through the open door and into Buffy's room. Anya was lying in the middle of the bed, idly flipping through the channels on the TV when Xander finally brought Buffy to her room. Anya smiled and shifted to the side to make room for the girl. Xander laid the Slayer in the middle of her bed before climbing up, leaving Buffy firmly ensconced in the middle.

"Find anything interesting?" Willow asked as she and Tara entered the room. She held a big bowl of popcorn. She put it at the foot of the bed while Tara pulled over a couple chairs for them.

"Here we go," Xander said once he wrestled the controls away from his wife. "Nice foreign film. Unfathomable plot lines, extreme over acting, and lots of subtext. Literally. I think that's like four lines up there." Tara glanced over.

"I think that's French," she said. She pulled a chair to the top of the bed, angling it slightly so she could put her feet up. Willow was doing the same thing on the other side.

"Why are we doing this?" Anya asked. "Why are we watching something in a foreign language when there are several shows that we can actually understand and enjoy?"

"It's what we used to do," Willow said, getting a faraway look in her eyes. "Back when we were young and didn't have any money to do anything actually fun, we'd get together at someone's house and watch these movies."

"We'd used to make up our own plot lines, since we never could figure out what was going on," Xander added wistfully. "And remember when we tried to ad lib our own dialog?"

"Yeah," Willow sighed before turning to Anya and Tara. "It's the first real memories we have with Buffy that didn't involve Slaying. And now that she's back it seemed appropriate that this should be our first activity with her."

"I think it's sweet," Tara said, helping herself to some popcorn. "And I'm glad you're sharing it with us." Anya looked confused.

"But we have money now. We can go have some real fun."

"We'll do that tomorrow," Xander promised. "Whatever you want to do." That seemed to satisfy Anya. She sank back into the mattress, letting the events unfold around her. Joyce smiled as she watched the friends bicker softly. She quietly closed the door and made her way back to the kitchen, leaving the group to bond.


	16. Chapter 16

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Penny for your thoughts?" Joyce looked up to see Veronica watching her from across the counter. Joyce smiled, returning to the spaghetti sauce she was absently stirring.

"They're not worth that much," she said. She had spent the last hour cleaning up the garbage they had invariably made. Dawn finally agreed to help once the twins were sleeping in their cribs again. It didn't take the women long to throw everything into the biggest box and set it outside. Spike said he would take it to the dumpster once the sun had set.

"The video marathon is still going strong?" Veronica asked, pointing upstairs.

"Last I checked," she said. "I don't know if they'll even come out for dinner. When they would do that as kids they would just kinda fall asleep."

"Which wouldn't be a bad thing," Veronica told her. "Everybody is exhausted, even with the reprieve we were given." Joyce nodded, pulling the sauce off the burner.

"How is the cleanup coming along?" she asked as she poured the noodles into a drainer.

"Surprisingly well. They've already cleared out two of the arms and are working on their third. Faith wasn't too keen with the idea of working with the Watchers, but she did. She didn't even try to kill any."

"It's an improvement," she said. While the Scoobies were finishing up the house, Giles took the remaining Watchers to his flat. Albert coordinated and directed the cleanup phase of the various arms of The Ring. "She and Daniel should be returning shortly. Rupert said they needed to eat before they tackled any more arms tonight."

"Makes sense," Joyce said thoughtfully. "It's a good thing I made extra." Veronica nodded as Andrew and Jonathan came hurrying up, followed by a thoroughly frustrated Dawn.

"I am not babysitting them anymore," she said, heading to the opposite side of the counter from where they were standing. "If I have to hear one more Batman vs. Superman debate I'm gonna go crazy."

"They're not debates," Andrew defended himself. "They are friendly discussions." They looked up when Anya and Tara joined them, each carrying a baby.

"They woke up," Anya said. "It was a perfect excuse to leave that horrible movie." Tara nodded.

"I hate to agree with Anya, but she's right. That was one of the most boring movies I've ever seen."

"Are the others coming down?" she asked, popping a couple of loaves of bread into the oven. "Dinner's almost ready."

"I don't think they're coming," Tara said, letting Andrew hold the baby. Joyce frowned but let it go. As long as he didn't try to take her out of the room it was fine. "They started another movie. It's sweet that they're trying to share this with us, but I think they should just keep it for them." Joyce nodded knowingly. The few minutes she would spend checking on them whenever they were doing their movie nights was more than enough for her. Even Dawn couldn't stand watching, even if it was one of the few times they were willing to let her stay back then. The timer buzzed and Joyce took the bread out of the oven.

"Dawn? Could you set the table please?" she asked as she started cutting the bread into slices. Dawn nodded, turning her attention to the boys.

"We could help," Jonathan volunteered. Andrew sighed, handing Alex over to Veronica before following the two of them. Tara helped Joyce finish the dinner and soon everyone was eating.

"You started without us?" Faith asked, as she and Daniel entered. She was grinning as she said it and they knew she was teasing them. Giles and his father followed shortly.

"Help yourself," she said, pointing to the kitchen. "It's a free for all day, with everybody doing their own things right now." They quickly dished up their own plates before joining the group at the table.

"Any problems?" Veronica asked Faith. She shook her head, her entire focus on the dinner in front of her.

"No," Daniel answered for her. "The few demons they had were so shocked by our arrival they didn't even fight." He pulled the list from his pocket. "A couple more days and we should have everything cleaned." Joyce nodded as Spike calmly walked in, a mug of blood in his hands.

"Oh bread," he said, taking a piece and dipping it in the blood before eating it. He watched the Watchers expressions carefully.

"Spike," Joyce warned, knowing he was taunting them deliberately.

"Sorry pet," he said, looking down at the ground. He quickly finished the bread before downing his blood. "Just getting ready for patrol."

"Do you need a hand?" Faith asked, finally breaking away from her dinner.

"You're always welcome," Spike told her. "But me and Peaches can handle it if you are needed somewhere else."

"We were gonna try to clear out a couple more arms before bed," Faith said, pulling the list toward her. She started staring at it curiously. "Where's Angel?" she asked. Spike shrugged.

"Spend the day in his old apartment. Said he was gonna do a quick patrol then head over here." Faith nodded, unable to tear her gaze away from the paper. She subconsciously began circling one of the locations with her finger.

"Faith?" Veronica asked.

"What?" she asked, jerking her head up.

"Are you okay?"

"Five by five," she told her before noticing movement in the hallway. "Angel?"

"Hey," he said, greeting everybody. "I just got a call from Wesley. The Ring can no longer support the bounty."

"Thank God," Joyce said, relieved beyond words. "So it's over?" He nodded.

"The bounty isn't officially off the market yet, but it should be within the hour. I'll stick around for a couple of hours, just to make sure the word gets out," Angel told them, "but then I need to get home. We still have an apocalypse of our own to deal with." He looked to Faith. "We could use your help Faith."

"You got it," she said, watching him carefully. "We need to go right away?" He shook his head.

"We've still got some time. Wesley will call when the bounty is officially gone." Faith nodded, looking back at the list of Ring locations.

"I want to get one more arm," she said. "Then we can turn the whole thing over to the Council. It doesn't need a Slayer."

"Where did you want to go?" Albert asked. "I can alert the Watchers to your arrival."

"Singapore, but I don't want the Watchers," Faith told him. Albert stopped eating, staring at her for several long minutes.

"You need backup Faith," Veronica said authoritatively.

"I really don't," she said before looking directly at Veronica. "But I do want two Watchers with me. Just not any of the goons they called out before. I want you there V."

"What?" she asked, dropping her fork in surprise. "I'm not a fighter."

"Exactly," she said as if that made her point. "I need a researcher, and from what I can tell you'll be great at that, but when the Big Bads are in town, everybody is a fighter. I need to see what you can do and I can't think of a better time."

"You'll be perfectly safe," Daniel added, though he looked at Faith curiously. "We're about to turn the whole thing over to the Council anyway. We wouldn't do that if it was demon central." Veronica nodded, picking up her fork again. Her hands were shaking, but she had a determined face.

"And the other Watcher?" Albert asked. "You said you wanted two." Faith looked to the head Watcher.

"I need Giles," she said, without looking at him.

"Pardon?" he said. "You know I can't go back there."

"I know," she said, finally looking at him, "and I don't need you there for that."

"Then why?" he asked. Faith took a deep breath before explaining.

"You're the only Watcher I trust," she told him. "I need you to help V. Assess her than work on her skills."

"You want me to train my sister?" he asked, pulling his glasses off. "You do realize she is not a Slayer."

"Yeah, but neither are you. Neither were any of the Scoobies, but you didn't let that stop you. You managed to take a group of helpless teenagers and not only managed to keep them alive for almost a decade, you've turned them into a damned good fighting force. And that's been while you're on top of a Hellmouth. You're the best trainer I know." She looked back to Veronica. "I don't need anything fancy, just teach her enough to keep her alive." Giles sighed but nodded.

"When do we leave?" he asked, putting his glasses back on.

"After dinner," she smirked, helping herself to another plate of spaghetti.

"Don't worry," Tara said reassuringly to Veronica. "We've all been trained by Giles a little. Basic protection and self-defense."

"Yes," Anya added. "And I only though he was trying to kill me five times."

"What?" Veronica asked, her fork slipping from her grasp.

"He can be kinda intense," Tara said. "But he really is a great teacher."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, picking up her fork and trying to finish her dinner. Giles sighed, but they just kept smiling at her.

"I'm just going to go check on the others," Joyce said as she finished up her plate of spaghetti.

"I'll join you," Giles said, picking up his cleaned plate. They detoured to the kitchen and rinsed them off before heading to the stairs.

"Should we disturb them?" Joyce asked, looking in to see all three of them sound asleep on the bed. Giles smiled at the sight.

"No. Wait until they awaken naturally then give Buffy her dinner and nightly routine."

"It might be later than her normal schedule," Joyce remarked.

"Some things are more important than schedules," Giles reminded her, turning to go back downstairs. Joyce walked in to grab the empty popcorn bowl before joining him. Faith and Daniel were finished, Faith twirling her dagger around restlessly while they waited for Veronica to finish. Giles quickly grabbed his broadsword and a couple daggers, securing them in his jacket. He also grabbed a short sword for his sister, giving it to her as soon as she was finished.

"Be careful," Joyce told them as they teleported away. She sighed, looking around at the group. "Now we wait. Again."

* * *

Joyce looked up from the chair she was curled up in when she heard some sound coming from her daughter's room. She put the book she was reading down carefully before getting to her feet and heading in. "Morning," she said as Xander finally opened his eyes.

"Morning?" he asked, stretching his long arms out. His movement was enough to wake Willow, who yawned loudly before rolling out of bed.

"It will be in a few hours," she said, smiling gently. Xander groaned, burying his face in the pillow for a minute before pulling himself upright.

"How long did we sleep?" Willow asked. She reached for her shoes, blushing when she realized she didn't take them off. She looked to Joyce. "You put us to bed?"

"It's what mothers do," she said simply. "You all needed the sleep."

"Yeah," Xander said, looking to Buffy. The jostling had woken her and she was blinking sleepily, staring at the ceiling. "Where's everybody else?" he asked when he realized the house was completely quiet.

"The twins are sleeping," she told them, "and the girls are celebrating at the Bronze. I managed to convince them to take Andrew and Jonathan with them."

"What?" Xander asked as he reached for his own shoes.

"Oh right," Joyce said, slapping herself upside the head for forgetting. "You weren't down for dinner. Angel came by. The bounty is gone. He needs to get back to L.A. for their apocalypse. Faith and Daniel are going to help, but Faith wanted to clear out one more arm of the Ring before they turn it all over to the Watchers. She left, taking Veronica and Rupert with her."

"You know what they say about the families that slay together," Xander joked before his stomach growled loudly. "The joke wasn't that bad," he grumbled, looking down at his stomach.

"I thought it was funny," Willow said as she finally stood up. "Did you say something about dinner?"

"There's leftovers in the fridge," Joyce told them. "Help yourself."

"Thanks," Willow said, leaving the room. Joyce began arranging the things she would need for Buffy's nightly ritual, surprised when Xander was hovering uncertainly in the doorway.

"Xander?" she asked him. He looked uncomfortable. "What is it?"

"It's just," he sighed loudly, running his hands through his hair. "The girls were all talking about her routines, and even Spike knows what kind of care she needs, but I have no clue." She smiled at him.

"Would you like to help me tonight?" she asked. "I can go over everything." He nodded his head. She pulled him toward the bed kindly, explaining everything she did even as she let him help. By the time they were done Xander was pale and shaking.

"How you doing there big guy?" Willow asked when he entered the kitchen. Xander sat down heavily on a stool. "I know the feeling," she said, pushing a plate of warmed up spaghetti his way.

"Does it ever get easier?" he asked, downing his food automatically.

"It does," Joyce said, coming up behind him. She reached into the refrigerator for one of Buffy's premade meals. "The more you work with her the easier it gets."

"It's just so hard, seeing her broken like that."

"Hey," Willow protested. "She's not broken. She's just hurt. It's no different than when you broke your arm. Or when Giles keeps getting knocked out. Or when I get a little loopy because of a spell."

"Okay I get it," Xander raised his hands in surrender before noticing Joyce was heading back upstairs. "Is there more?" he asked.

"Not much," she told him. "Just her dinner and the IV. I can finish it up. You've helped enough already."

"No," he said, pushing back his half eaten plate. "I need to know all of it. Just in case." He straightened his shoulders and followed her out of the room. Willow watched, turning when she heard the front door open. "Hey. How was the Bronze?" she asked as the girls trudged into the kitchen.

"Surprisingly tiring," Tara said, grabbing a cup and heading to the sink for some water. "But then we didn't sleep the whole afternoon."

"Not the whole afternoon," Willow protested half-heartedly. "We did watch some movies."

"And speaking of those movies," Anya said, coming to rest against the counter, "we've decided to start our own tradition. Whenever you feel the need to lose brain cells by watching them, we've decided we'll go to the Bronze and have some real fun."

"They're not that bad," she said, pouting slightly. "It's what we used to do for fun."

"And that's sweet," Tara said, putting her arms around her girlfriend. "You should keep your traditions. But they are that boring." Willow sighed as Daniel suddenly teleported into the living room. The group quickly rushed over to meet them.

"How did it go?" Dawn asked.

"Fine," Faith said, looking between the two Watchers. A knock sounded at the door. Dawn moved to open it, stepping back to allow Albert, Jonathan, and Andrew in. She led them back into the living room.

"I received a message saying you had left the lair," Albert told the group who just teleported in. "Shall I give the go ahead to the Watchers?" Faith and Giles looked at each other.

"I think we're good," she said after a few minutes. He nodded, about to leave the room, when he saw the books in the hands of his children.

"What did you find?" he asked. Giles and Veronica looked at each other warily.

"Books," Veronica finally answered. "Whole libraries that the demons were hoarding."

"Anything interesting?" he asked, reaching for the books his daughter was clinging to. She shared a look with her brother before relenting, passing over some of the books she was holding. Albert froze when he saw the titles.

"These books have been lost for ages," he said reverently. "What others have you found?"

"The Codex." Giles said it quietly but the quiet whisper erupted like cannon fire in the still room. "The most complete book of Slayer prophecies ever recorded." He dropped the other books he was carrying on the table, but kept a protective hold of the thickest volume.

"I thought all those books were lost," Albert said simply, sinking into one of the chairs.

"You thought wrong." Albert and Giles stared at each other. Again Albert was the one to back down.

"Have you read it?" he asked, knowing they just arrived and he couldn't have read the whole thing yet.

"I've skimmed through it," he told his father, "and I intend to read it completely. Very soon."

"What of the rest?" he asked, indicating the books that were resting on the coffee table.

"There's more," Veronica said. "Hundreds more. These are the ones Rupert wanted personally."

"To add to your collection?" Albert asked, trying for humor. Giles shook his head.

"These are the ones that pertain directly to a Slayer. I don't trust the Council with that information."

"You still doubt the Council has the best interests of the Slayer in mind?" he asked. He looked tiredly up at his son.

"I believe the Council has nothing but their own best interests in mind," he said calmly. "The information in these books could be used to actually save the life of a young girl one day, if they are in the hands of someone who actually cares for her. The actions of the Council have repeatedly proven they do not care about the life of the Slayer beyond how it can benefit them. They will stay with me, until I pass them on to a worthy successor."

"Veronica?" Albert asked, looking from his son to his daughter.

"Rupert is right," she said slowly. "Behind the Council walls it's easy to forget that the Slayer is a person. A young girl. We read the prophecy of the death of a Slayer and think nothing of it, no more than the death of a stranger would affect us a world away. That has got to change. If hoarding the information was some grand experiment the Watchers of old tried, I can safely say it has failed. The knowledge in these books has to be in the hands of those that will put it to the most good. That is no longer the Council headquarters." Albert thought for a minute before putting the book he was holding back down.

"If there are hundreds of other books there our researchers won't miss these few. I'll tell the team they are cleared to go. Unless there were some other books you wanted."

"Nothing else jumped out," Giles admitted. Albert nodded.

"Read that book," he indicated the one his son was still clutching to tightly. "Then come find me. Perhaps we will have much we can discuss." Giles nodded and Albert was about to leave when Angel walked in.

"Oh good. You're back," he said, addressing Faith. "Wesley called and all hell's about to break loose. We really need to go."

"We're ready," she told him, "just need to find where they put the keys to the hogs."

"I'll get them," Dawn said, leaving the room. Angel looked uncomfortably at Giles.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"I spoke to Wesley. He was still checking into any prophecies regarding the children of Slayers." Giles nodded, knowing what Angel was talking about. "He found one, just the last few lines, in one of the most secure vaults the firm has. The Senior Partners have dismissed it, it would be extraordinarily hard to fulfill, but they keep it around because of the potential it has if it ever does come to pass."

"What are the lines?" Giles whispered.

"The seven scions of The Slayer shall gather together as one," he recited from memory. "A choice shall be made. And the world of man shall burn or be saved. At the Dawn of the Third Age." Everybody froze at his words.

"What does it mean?" Anya asked quietly.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Angel said, "but we do have more immediate problems to deal with. You ready?" he asked as Dawn walked back in with their keys.

"Yep," she said, grabbing her leather jacket.

"Wait," Jonathan called out. He was breathing deeply, trying to build up the courage to say what he needed. "I need to go with you. You'll need my help."

"I don't think so," Faith said quickly.

"We didn't follow you to L.A." he blurted out quickly. "We were recruited. By Wolfram and Hart."

"What?" Angel stalked over to him, roughly pulling him by his collar. "What would Wolfram and Hart need from a worthless, pathetic creature like you?"

"A spell," he said, choking when Angel's hands tightened on his collar.

"They have spell casters," he told him bluntly. "Dozens of them."

"It couldn't be done in house or you'd find out about it," he choked out. "They needed someone to subcontract."

"What spell was so important that they couldn't do it in house?" Angel asked, his eyes flashing yellow.

"They want to steal your soul." Angel gasped at that reply. It wasn't what he was expecting. He forced himself to loosen the hold on the younger man. Jonathan took several deep gulps of air before turning to him. "They want Angelus back. That's why they did all of this, why they gave you the law firm in the first place. They wanted to corrupt you so you would lose your soul, but it didn't work. Now they're trying something much more direct."

"Why you?" he asked, taking a few steps back so he wouldn't be tempted to hit the young man. Jonathan shrugged.

"They contacted Warren. Heard we had some success fighting the Slayer and wanted to know if we could do the same against a souled vampire." Faith rolled her eyes but let him continue.

"What could they possibly want with Angelus?" Giles asked harshly. "Surely they know he would hunt them down and kill them."

"Probably," Angel admitted, "but he'd start here first."

"They don't just want Angelus," Jonathan told them. "They want all of them. The Whirlwind."

"That's why they brought Darla back," Angel said, thinking out loud.

"One of the reasons," Jonathan confirmed. "They thought she would be able to steal your soul. You know, that one moment of happiness."

"I was never that happy with her," he told him before regarding him thoughtfully. "How can you help?"

"I know what spell they're going to use," he told them. "And I know how to stop it. The apocalypse was never about the world ending. They just wanted you distracted so you wouldn't realize what they were doing." Angel looked to Faith.

"How can we trust you?" she asked him.

"You can't," he said simply, "but I'm all you've got."

"Hello," Willow spoke up for the first time. "If you need witches you have a couple of powerful ones right here who can help." Angel shook his head.

"They'll sense you coming a mile away," he said, looking back at Jonathan. "Can you get in without them stopping you?" He nodded his head.

"And I know exactly where to go." Angel gave another long look to Faith.

"Fine," she relented, "but he is not riding down with me."

"I'll take him," Daniel said. Everybody turned to look at Andrew.

"I would go," he started, "but somebody needs to stay and take care of the babies."

"Right," Angel replied, turning to face Giles. "I'll call Wesley and tell him what's happening. If they do get my soul…"

"We'll have the ensoulment spell ready just in case," he reassured him. Angel nodded but kept going.

"If they do get my soul, promise me that you'll kill him. He'll come for Buffy first and she is helpless. Don't trust anything I say unless you check in with Wesley first. Remember what I told you after Christmas." Giles nodded.

"Or I could just read your aura," Tara said. He looked to her and nodded.

"And you should probably do the uninvited spell," he said, "after I leave. Just in case." Giles nodded.

"I won't let him hurt her again," Giles reassured him.

"Me neither," Faith said, popping her knuckles threateningly. "So why don't we go stop this thing before any of this becomes an issue." Angel nodded and headed for the door. Daniel grabbed Jonathan by the arm before leading him from the house. Faith watched them go for a moment before turning back to Giles. "I think I like your sister G. I think we could work good together. I would hate to see something happen to her because she can't handle a sword."

"I'll give her some basic training," he told her, smiling at the dark Slayer. "Now it's time to go save the world."

"You never get tired of saying that do you?" she asked, pulling him into a quick hug. "Thank you for everything."

"My pleasure," he said, pulling away. "Be careful." She nodded and headed out the door. They could hear the roar of the motorcycle's engines as they stormed off. The quieter sound of Angel's car followed them.

"What did Angel tell you after Christmas?" Willow asked curiously. Giles sighed.

"Everything." The group fell silent at that. The older Scoobies lost in memories while the newer ones looked confused.

"What now?" Andrew asked. They all looked at him.

"We prepare the spell," he told Willow, "and hope we never have to use it."

"Then we all go to bed," Joyce said. She was standing at the door to the dining room, watching the group with tired eyes.

"How long have you been standing there?" Giles asked.

"Long enough," she said. "We're all exhausted. We finally get a break from the demon attacks. We all need a good night's rest."

"Of course," Giles said, running his hand through his hair. "We're all tired."

"I would like to continue coordinating the Watchers from your flat," Albert said, getting slowly to his feet. "If that's alright with you."

"Of course," he agreed, holding his hand out to Veronica. She nodded, and let him guide her back to his house.

"What is this ensoulment spell?" she asked him as they left. "I've never heard of it. And an uninvited spell?" Giles chuckled slightly as the door closed behind them.

"Do you need to go to The Magic Box to get the stuff for the spell?" Xander asked Willow, stepping out from behind Joyce. She shook her head.

"We should have all the stuff we need over at our place." She and Tara joined hands. "We'll get it all ready before we go to bed, just in case. If Giles needs us, we'll be there." Joyce nodded, watching as the witches left the house. She turned to Xander and Anya.

"Do you want us to stay?" Anya asked in her usual no nonsense way. "We don't mind staying here even though the crisis is over."

"No," Joyce told them. "It's okay. Go spend some alone time together." Anya smiled, practically dragging Xander out with her. Joyce smiled as she turned back to Dawn.

"Crisis over. Scoobies disperse," she joked half-heartedly.

"Is something wrong sweetie?" Joyce asked. Dawn shook her head but couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes. "What's wrong honey?" she asked, taking her youngest in her arms.

"It's stupid," she said after a minute.

"Not if you're crying over it," Joyce told her comfortingly. "What's wrong?"

"They all just left, like everything's back to normal. But nothing will ever be the same again. Buffy's back and she has kids and they're just acting like it's another day."

"Oh honey," she rubbed Dawn's back comfortingly. "Everyone is just as confused and scared as you are. Even me. It will take a few days for everything to get back to normal. For all of us."

"Thanks Mom," she said, as her smile turned into a yawn. "I guess everyone is tired."

"Why don't you go to bed? Tomorrow is a big day."

"What's happening tomorrow?" Dawn asked as she led them upstairs.

"Tomorrow we start figuring out what the new normal is."


	17. Chapter 17

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Now that the constant threat from the Order of Taraka was gone, everyone was able to catch up on some much needed sleep. They slowly returned to their jobs, Anya practically taking over The Magic Box while Willow and Tara helped out at The Gallery as much as possible. Xander returned to his construction sites, while Dawn had officially started her summer vacation and decided to spend as much time as she could at home with the newest members of the family. Joyce and Giles were the last to return to their former lives.

Joyce spent her days taking care of the babies and taking care of her daughter. Earlier Anya likened Buffy to her children and Joyce couldn't agree more. She had three babies at home who needed her constant attention. Sometimes it was a toss up to see who needed her more, her daughter or her grandchildren. Thankfully Dawn was a constant presence and was helping as best she could. Andrew also was constantly in the house and trying to help, though his attempts usually just led to more problems. They were slowly getting into a pattern though, and Joyce was planning to go back to work, at least for half a day, that Monday.

Giles also hadn't returned to work. Veronica was staying until Faith returned. Albert also decided to stay, much to the sibling's discontent. None of the Scoobies could figure out Giles's father. Though he was the leader of the Watcher's Council, which existed solely to piss them off and get in their way according to some members of the group, he was always extremely kind and polite to them. He was intelligent, caring, and always watching them with curiosity, not contempt which they were expecting. Giles, in particular, was having a hard time reconciling the two sides of the man he thought he knew.

Albert mainly stayed in Giles's house during the day, directing the cleanup operation from Sunnydale. Eventually he would need to return to London, but he was content to stay right now and for the first time in his life Giles was content to let him. Giles and Veronica spent their days in the main house, training. While nowhere near a Slayer's ability, by the end of the week she could handle herself in a crisis. She also agreed to go on a patrol with Spike, which would get her some real life experience, now that the craziness had died down.

"You ready pet?" Spike asked as he showed up on Saturday night. Everyone was gathered around the living room. While the days were almost back to normal, nights were still new territory. Everyone still gathered at the Summers residence after work was done. Joyce would cook the family dinner, which helped calm her nerves. They were slowly getting used to Buffy being back, not to mention the new arrivals.

"As I'll ever be," Veronica told the vampire. She wore dark, practical clothes and had a small sword strapped to her back. She also had several stakes and a small crossbow.

"You'll do fine," Giles told her from his position in his favorite chair where he was trying to read the Codex. He had taken to studying the book every night and had yet to let anyone else take a look inside. Albert watched him curiously. Veronica nodded and followed Spike out of the house. "She'll be fine," he told everyone when they watched the door. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Spike will keep her safe."

"He will," Joyce agreed distractedly before turning to Dawn. "Are you sure you'll be okay."

"Mom," she whined. She was in the middle of the room helping Buffy exercise her arms. The Slayer could almost hold them over the armrests of her wheelchair. "We've gone over everything. I know what to do for all three of them. We've discussed every situation you could think of. I'm an adult. I can do this. Besides, you'll only be gone a few hours and if I need you I can always call."

"Plus I'll be here," Andrew called out helpfully.

"That's really reassuring," she replied sarcastically. "Maybe it's too soon. Maybe I should wait to go back to work." Dawn rolled her eyes dramatically.

"I think you should stay here," Anya said. "It is giving me an opportunity to stretch my corporate muscles. Running two businesses can be quite thrilling."

"What?" both Giles and Joyce said at the same time.

"Well, neither one of you are there. How else are we going to make a profit if someone doesn't take up the mantle of leadership?"

"We've been helping with both stores," Tara said shyly, as if that was overstepping some boundary.

"Thanks you," she said uncertainly, wondering if Anya had been able to make any improvements to the shop while she had been away. The ex-demon had tried to improve Giles's shop throughout the years, claiming her way was more efficient and produced greater profits. Only threats of firing her could keep the young woman at bay. Joyce secretly laughed at those confrontations and now not so secretly worried she might be having some herself.

"Go check out the damage," Dawn said, as if reading her thoughts. "We will be okay for a few hours."

"Okay," she relented. "For a few hours." Dawn silently cheered as the group slowly broke up for the night. The next morning Joyce was extremely nervous. Giles also was returning to work that day, although he was going in for the full day. Joyce briefly considered taking everyone to work with her before deciding against it. There was just so much that could go wrong over at The Magic Box, and while before The Gallery was usually safe from all the Slayer craziness, now that the two were connected they had more than their share of demons breaking up the place. "Are you sure?" Joyce asked again. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Mom!" She didn't need to say anything else. They had taken care of the twins, who were upstairs sleeping, and taken care of Buffy, who was about ready to nod off in her wheelchair. Joyce looked again at her stricken daughter, about ready to change her mind, when Dawn grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door. "Have a good day," she ordered, opening the door and almost pushing her from the house. Joyce had just enough time to grab her keys.

"You'll call?" she asked as she crossed the threshold.

"If I need you yes," Dawn told her. "Have fun." Joyce nodded as the door shut on her. Slowly she made her way to the car and on to The Gallery. Ten minutes later she parked behind Giles's car and made her way to the shops.

"Hey," she said as she opened the door to The Magic Box. She wasn't quite ready to see the disaster area her own shop was.

"Welcome back," Giles said. He and Veronica were sitting at the research table.

"Thanks," she said, looking around in trepidation. She couldn't see Anya anywhere, which meant she was probably wreaking havoc in The Gallery. "It looks like you shop survived."

"Relatively intact," he told her, pointing behind the counter. It looked like Anya had been attempting to change the filing system. "I wish the same could be said about The Gallery," he said vaguely. Joyce closed her eyes.

"How bad?" she asked, opening her eyes when he didn't answer. She looked between Giles and Veronica. Both of them just grinned. "Are you researching?" she asked, trying to delay the inevitable entrance into her own shop.

"Just reading," Veronica told her. She recognized The Codex as the larger volume. Giles had been particularly possessive of the book, only letting it out of his sight at night when he went home with his family. She thought once his family left again the book would make the trip over to his house as well. Joyce reached out and picked up the smaller book.

"The Codex?" she asked, reading the title to the smaller book. She looked between the two books as she put the smaller book down.

"Thought lost to the Council centuries ago," Veronica said. "Apparently my brother got a copy somehow and has been hoarding it."

"Angel," he answered her unasked question. "The Codex we recovered is written in a language I have never seen. We're hoping by comparing the two we will slowly be able to translate the language.

"Oh," Joyce nodded, thinking to the mysterious prophecy Albert alluded to.

"If we find anything we will tell you," Giles reminded her. "Which you fully know. Are you trying to delay entering your shop?" he asked, realizing why she was so interested in research.

"Maybe," she sighed, looking at the connecting door.

"Go," he told her, pushing her slightly toward the door. "It's not as bad as you're thinking." She nodded, taking the few steps to reach the door. She opened the doorway, unprepared for the sight that met her. Boxes and crates lined every available space in the shop, leaving very little for the three girls and the few customers inside.

"I don't know why she gets to hold the clipboard," Anya grumbled as she and Willow were opening boxes and crates. Paintings and sculptures were being stacked carefully in a corner.

"Because she knows about art," Willow said, defending her girlfriend. Joyce looked across the room and saw Tara softly talking to the customers.

"But I'm much more managerial than she is," Anya protested. "Besides I was around when most of this art was created. In fact, I was the inspiration for several artists throughout the years."

"And when people are interested in paintings with men in various stages of retribution we'll be sure to send them your way," Willow replied, struggling to open a crate. Joyce, knowing exactly how hard some of those crates were to open, immediately stepped in to help. "Oh. Hi," Willow said, looking up when the extra muscle finally popped the top off.

"What's all this?" she asked, gesturing around the showroom.

"Pieces from New York," Tara said, joining them as soon as the customers left the shop. "We were going to wait for you to get back before opening them, but we ran out of room."

"New York?" Joyce asked strangely before remembering the reason she went to New York in the first place. The events that transpired completely blocked the art she went to buy. "Oh God. I forgot the pieces would be arriving. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Anya accepted the apology. "We understand you had other things on your mind. That's why I took it upon myself to help organize your books and help out in your store."

"Thank you," she said politely, "but don't you need to help Giles?"

"I can do both," she said proudly. Willow and Tara shared a look. Tara handed her the clipboard.

"I wasn't sure how you handled your inventory," Tara told her, "so I've just been listing the artist's name, the name of the piece, and a basic description. All the invoices from New York are on your desk. I wasn't sure about anything in the storeroom, so I've just been selling the pieces you've already priced."

"Tara?" Joyce interrupted, glancing through the notes Tara gave her. Tara stopped talking and looked at her uncertainly. "Would you like a job?" Tara's eyes lit up and she smiled shyly. Willow beamed with pride while Anya looked disappointed.

"Yes," she told her, "Thank you." She was very excited. She had enjoyed working at the small shop.

"But what about me?" Anya asked.

"There are several things that need to be addressed in the shop where you actually work," Giles said from the door. Anya looked over before sighing.

"I still get to work the books right?" she asked. Joyce nodded. Money was Anya's specialty. Even without looking at the books she knew Anya would probably improve them. Anya, apparently happy with that bit of news, happily handed her crowbar over to Joyce and returned to her own shop.

"Are you sure?" Tara asked once Anya had disappeared. "I mean I'd understand if you just said that to get rid of Anya."

"Tara," Joyce interrupted her, gesturing to the clipboard. "This is amazing work, especially considering you were flying blind. And I have needed to get an assistant for a while now, I just kept putting it off."

"If you're sure," Tara said. Joyce nodded. "Then I'd love to."

"Great. Let's clear out some space then we can start going over things." Tara nodded, looking over to Willow. She gave her two thumbs up. Between the three of them they were able to clear out a corner of the showroom. Willow excused herself when the two of them started talking about work. Tara was a natural in the art business, picking up on the nuances of the business in practically no time.

"You guys ready?" Willow asked, coming back into The Gallery. Joyce looked up, surprised to find that it was almost seven. She was planning to only spend a couple hours there before heading home.

"Oh my God," Joyce said, "I was going to call Dawn. See how things were going."

"Giles did," Willow told them. "A couple times. Everything is fine." Joyce nodded while she closed down her computer. "So how did my working girl do?" Willow asked, putting her arms around Tara protectively.

"She's a natural," Joyce told her.

"It helps that I love art," Tara said, blushing slightly. Giles, Veronica, and Anya joined them, having finished locking up The Magic Box. "Not that I don't like magic," she said hesitantly, "cause I do and I don't mind helping out." The group headed out the door, only stopping the let Joyce lock the door. They talked about nothing as the group piled into the cars and headed back home. Arriving they walked into the Summers house to find Andrew standing over a smoking oven.

"Andrew?" Joyce asked. The twins were in the kitchen, watching everything from their swings. Andrew was waving a dishtowel over the stove, trying to get the smoke to clear.

"Dinner is not quite ready yet," he told them. "I am having a small technical problem with the casserole."

"What are you doing?" Joyce asked, immediately checking on the twins.

"Cooking," he told her honestly.

"Why?" Anya asked, coming over to the kitchen counter. "Are you trying to poison us?"

"I'm just showing my appreciation for everything you've done for me," he said sincerely.

"Why is Dawn letting you cook?" Joyce asked, picking up Billy protectively. "Where is Dawn?"

"In the living room," Andrew said, pulling a blackened pan from the oven. "Dinner might be delayed."

"Andrew," Joyce sighed, rolling her eyes as she went to check on her daughter. She took one step into the living room and froze. "Rupert!" she screamed. Giles raced passed her, Joyce right on his heels.

"What happened?" he demanded, taking in the scene immediately. Buffy was desperately clutching her sister, trying to get her body to move in ways it just wasn't capable of. She was pale, having trouble breathing normally, had sweat pouring off her in buckets, and was shaking so violently he was afraid she would topple right off the couch if Dawn wasn't there. But all that was insignificant when compared to the look of pure terror shining on her face. For her part, Dawn was trying to comfort her older sister, but apparently not having much luck.

"I'm not sure," Dawn admitted, looking at him desperately. "Buffy was napping on the couch. I was helping Andrew in the kitchen when I thought I heard something."

"What did you hear?" Giles asked, slowly inching toward the sisters. He stopped when he got too close, Buffy's grip on Dawn tightening painfully.

"I thought I heard whimpering," she told him, wincing at the painful grip. "I think she was having a nightmare." Giles nodded.

"Oh baby," Joyce said, not sure which one of her daughters she was talking to at that moment. Someone grabbed Billy from her arms, she wasn't sure who, and she slowly inched toward her girls. "It's okay. Mommy's here." Buffy flinched, pulling away from her mother and consequently pulling Dawn with her. Joyce wasn't deterred though. She kept up her calming platitudes as she slowly inched forward. Eventually she was able to place her hand on her Buffy's shoulder. She began rubbing gently, trying everything she could think of to get her daughter to calm down. Nothing worked though. She looked at Giles in fright.

"What do we do?" Willow asked, paling slightly at the sight. Joyce looked over and saw Tara and Anya watching from the hallway.

"Call Ben," Giles told her. She nodded and headed for the phone.

"What's happening?" Joyce asked. She moved her hand from Buffy's shoulder to her hair, gently running her fingers through the blonde locks.

"She's starting to remember," Giles said simply.

* * *

Ben headed over right away, but it was still twenty minutes before he got there. In those twenty minutes they were helpless as they watched Buffy go from bad to worse. She was starting to hyperventilate, which just made her other symptoms so much worse. Her fingers were digging into Dawn with a strength they didn't think she had. Joyce could see bruises forming on her younger daughter and had tried to switch places with Dawn, but Buffy wasn't letting go. Giles didn't think she understood what was happening, and while they could have tried to use force to break the grip, he thought that wasn't the best option right then. Dawn agreed and all but told her mother to leave them alone. Joyce nodded unhappily. She stopped trying to come between them, but she refused to leave. Instead she continued murmuring nonsense words, giving comfort to both her daughters.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked as soon as he got there. Willow heard his car pull up and quietly went to open the door. Willow put a finger to her lips and led him further down the hallway. He was able to see the scene from there.

"Ben," Giles greeted quietly, slowly backing away from the ladies. He entered the hallway quickly, never taking his eyes off them.

"Giles," Ben returned the greeting, his eyes taking in the scene. He studied it intently for a few minutes. "How long has she been like this?"

"She was asleep," Dawn repeated for their doctor. "I woke her up about ten minutes before everybody got home. She's been like this since then, but she's getting worse." Ben nodded before holding up his keys.

"In my trunk is my bag and a small oxygen bottle. We're going to need both." Willow nodded, grabbing his keys and heading outside. He shifted slightly, moving closer to the door where Giles was hovering quietly. "If I had to guess, I'd say she was having a nightmare. When Dawn woke her up, the nightmare changed into a flashback, which evolved into a panic attack," he told him, speaking calmly but loud enough for Joyce to hear. "This is a rather extreme example, but flashbacks and panic attacks are common reactions to her situation. Gregory and I have been expecting something like this from the moment she came in."

"So what do we do?" Joyce asked, close to panicking herself.

"Try to keep her calm," Ben said. "A flashback creates fear, which feeds the panic attack. A panic attack generates more fear. It's a never ending cycle. But if you can calm her down you have a better chance of breaking the cycle. It's best if she's able to come out of these herself."

"And if she can't?" Willow asked, bringing in the items Ben requested. "It's been thirty minutes already and she's just getting worse."

"We give her something to calm her down," he said, routing through his back until he pulled out a syringe and a vial. "Just something to take the edge off. Hopefully then you'll be able to get through to her and she'll break out of her panic attack." Joyce and Giles shared a deep look, having an entire conversation without saying a word. When Joyce finally broke eye contact she looked up at Ben and nodded. He quickly prepared the sedative, then he and Giles began slowly inching toward them.

"Where?" Giles asked. As they neared the girls Buffy began to tense, squeezing Dawn even harder.

"Her bicep," Ben answered. Giles nodded. Buffy was shaking so much they would need to hold her down to administer the shot, and that was while she was not actively fighting them.

"Buffy. Look at me honey," Joyce tried to get her daughter to focus on her, even putting herself in her line of sight, but it was clear nothing was registering. At least not until Giles put his hand softly on her shoulder. Buffy started whimpering and immediately started fighting against them, clawing and scratching anything she could reach, finally letting go of Dawn who gratefully jumped off to the side as Ben quickly injected the medicine. As soon as their hands left her, Buffy stopped fighting. She was reaching for the comfort of her sister and didn't seem to realize that the person she grabbed was her mother. She gasped at the tight grip.

"Joyce?" Giles asked in concern. She just shook her head.

"Tight grip," Joyce said. "I've had worse." They just nodded their heads. Ben retreated into the kitchen, but Giles stayed where he was, hovering over the two of them. He reached out to rub her arm gently, surprised when she didn't flinch or try to move away.

"Here." Ben held out a small oxygen mask to Joyce. Joyce took it and held it up to her daughter's face. She expected another fight, but was surprised when Buffy just laid there and let her mother attach the mask

"It's okay. It's okay. Deep breaths. It's okay." She kept repeating this mantra as Giles carefully pulled the elastic band around her head, holding the mask firmly in place. She started running her fingers through her daughter's blonde hair. She could feel Buffy's muscles starting to loosen up as the sedative took effect.

"That's what I heard," Dawn gasped, pointing behind her to the form on the couch. "Whimpering." Ben pulled Dawn into the hallway, examining the bruises they could see thoroughly. Joyce realized for the first time since she was rescued Buffy had made sounds. In a split second the fear that came from hearing those pathetic whimpers turned to hope. Even now some small whimpers could be heard coming from her daughter. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.

"I don't think you broke anything," Ben told Dawn after his impromptu exam, "but you'll be sore for a few days. I can write you a script if you need one."

"We still have some painkillers," Giles told him, not leaving his spot from their side. "But thank you. Would you care to join us for dinner?" he asked him. "It's the least we could do for dragging you all the way out here after your shift ended."

"Thanks for the offer but I do have plans," he told them kindly. "I can stay a few minutes to make sure she's settled, but then I really do have to go."

"So what happened?" Willow asked. She leaned against the wall but was watching the Slayer intently. "Is this because we entered her mind?"

"Yes," Giles said simply. "Buffy warned us this would happen."

"But we opened the door anyway," Willow said dejectedly.

"So she's remembering everything?" Joyce asked. Giles shook his head.

"Not yet. It looks like small parts are escaping her confinement, but as time goes by more and more memories will come to light. Right now her memories are manifesting themselves as nightmares, but eventually they will come to haunt her waking hours as well."

"You'll have to find a way to help her cope," Ben said. He took a few cautious steps into the living room. "It looks like the sedative will work in extreme cases, but they shouldn't be used day to day." He gently reached out to check her pulse, then pulled out a blood pressure cuff when Buffy didn't react negatively to his presence.

"How do children cope?" Anya asked, rocking Alex gently and returning to the hallway now that the situation had calmed down.

"They climb into their parent's bed," Joyce said from experience. "But I don't see Buffy being able to do that anytime soon."

"Well maybe you can climb into her bed," Anya said with her usual bluntness. Dawn rolled her eyes while Anya continued her thought. "They have baby monitors so you don't have to be in the nursery with the children all the time and still be able to hear them when they wake up. Is there some rule that say's those can only be used for infants?" Giles opened his mouth to protest, only to close it and look over at Joyce.

"She does have a point. If we are able to wake Buffy up before the nightmare progresses to far, we might be able to stop the flashbacks before they begin. At the very least prevent them from getting this bad."

"That might work for the flashbacks," Joyce said, "but what about the nightmares themselves. Does she even know what they mean? Is she dreaming about these horrible events without even realizing they're her own past?"

"I don't know," Giles admitted, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "The Buffy we met inside her mind knew exactly what happened, but there is a very real possibility she will never be that Buffy again." Joyce looked down at the small form in her arms. Buffy was struggling to keep her eyes open, but she knew it was a fight she couldn't win. She knew exactly how her daughter felt. She felt totally helpless.

"We'll worry about that tomorrow," Joyce announced. "Right now we need to focus on Buffy. Dawn?"

"We've got the twins," she told her, knowing instinctively who Joyce was worrying about. She nodded.

"Rupert. Can you carry Buffy upstairs?"

"Of course." He gently picked up the struggling girl and headed for the stairs. Ben followed discretely. Joyce stood up and went into the hallway.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, examining the bruises on Dawn's skin. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine. But you need to go. We've got things down here. You need to take care of things upstairs." Joyce nodded and followed them upstairs just as Andrew approached the group.

"Maybe we should order pizza?"


	18. Chapter 18

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Joyce intercepted Ben just as he came out of Buffy's room. "How is she?" she asked.

"She's calmed down," Ben said quietly. "Her pulse and blood pressure are back to normal. I think she's out of the attack."

"Does she still need the oxygen?" Joyce asked, looking through the doorway at the two figures by the bed. Ben shook his head.

"She doesn't need it, but I want it to stay on until she falls asleep. You can take it off then," he told her. "I'm going to leave it here just in case she ever starts hyperventilating again. That definitely added to the panic attack. I'm also going to leave the sedatives. I've already talked to Giles about dosage, but I can't stress too strongly they should not be used as an everyday cure for this. You need to find a way to help her cope." She nodded and looked into the room, Ben following her lead. She and Giles shared another long look.

"We'd appreciate any suggestions you have," Giles said from his spot by her bedside.

"I wish I knew how to help," he told them sincerely. They stayed by the doorway and watched as Giles comforted the Slayer. "The problem is this is purely psychological and the best advice is to talk about it, which she can't do." He sighed. "There's some medications that might help, but don't think that is the best option. I think the best advice I can give is to keep a careful eye on her. Stopping these episodes from getting this bad will probably be the best way you can help her right now."

"Thank you," Joyce told him. He nodded and headed down the stairs. She went into the room, automatically closing the door before thinking better of it. Knowing everyone would probably want to check on Buffy sometime before going to bed she decided to simply leave the door open. She turned and watched the figures in the room for a moment. Buffy was on her side, groggily staring at Giles. She had a tight grip on his hand. "Buffy?" she called quietly, not wanting to disturb her daughter if she finally found a safe place. Buffy slowly turned her head, her drug filled eyes slow to focus on her mother. As soon as she did though, she let go of Giles's hand and reached for hers. Joyce was next to the bed immediately, kicking her shoes off as she did exactly what Anya suggested. She climbed into bed with her daughter.

Buffy quickly melded herself to her side and Joyce could immediately tell the difference from just a few minutes ago. She still was shaking every few minutes, but nothing like before. "Is she asleep?" she asked Giles. He stood, grabbing the blankets and tucking them in while he checked on her.

"Not quite," he said, as he gently ran his hand over her head before moving the chair closer to the bed. He sat down with a sigh.

"Why is this happening now?" Joyce asked quietly, gently rubbing her daughter's back to try to get her to sleep. "Was Willow right? Is this because you entered her mind?"

"Partially," he said quietly. "We expedited the process, but this would have eventually happened." Joyce sighed.

"She can never catch a break, can she?" she asked rhetorically.

"Apparently not," Giles answered anyway. Joyce looked at him for several minutes before asking her next question.

"What can we do to help her?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Before she would train and patrol to relieve stress and work through things. That is not an option right now. I think what Anya suggested might be best. Get a monitor for her and try to wake her up before the nightmares get too bad."

"You think this will stay in her nightmares?" Joyce asked.

"I can hope," he told her, "but I know eventually it will follow her to her waking moments. When that happens I have no idea how to help her."

"I guess we'll just have to play it by ear," Joyce told him, repeating his advice from so long ago. He smiled at her gently.

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked, leaving it entirely up to her.

"Is she sleeping?" Joyce asked. He discretely checked before nodding. "Then you can go. I'll take care of her tonight."

"Of course," he said, both of them knowing he wouldn't go far. He slipped the oxygen mask off her face, leaving it where Joyce could reach if necessary, then left the room. He detoured to the library to grab the Codex, desperately searching for any scrap of information that might help his girl, then headed to his room. He wasn't going to get any sleep tonight either.

* * *

Joyce smiled brightly as Buffy opened her eyes the next morning. "Good morning," she said quietly. Buffy rewarded her with a big smile. Joyce stretched as she thought about the long night she had spent. Buffy had several more nightmares but thankfully Joyce was able to help her through them without her daughter waking up completely. Joyce had dozed periodically throughout the night, but was always jerked awake whenever Buffy moved or whimpered. In the end Buffy had gotten almost a full night's sleep while Joyce had managed a couple hours of rest. "How are you feeling today?" Buffy just stared at her. "Back to the silent treatment huh," Joyce said jokingly. She slowly climbed out of bed, wondering if Buffy was finally going to let go of the iron grip she maintained the entire night. She did, once Joyce pointed it out to her.

"You guys are finally awake," Dawn said as she entered the room. She was carrying a shopping bag that Joyce eyed carefully.

"What's that?" she asked.

"A monitor for Buffy," Dawn said, pulling out the baby monitor. "Anya went to the store as soon as they opened. It's the same type as the twins, so we'll have to label them somehow. Anya was thinking a marker, but I was leaning more toward glitter and sparkly paint."

"A marker sounds good," Joyce said, trying to derail her daughter before she got too out of hand. Dawn brought over the chair someone had brought upstairs and Joyce shifted Buffy from the bed, wrinkling her nose at the sweat covered sheets. "I'll need to wash these."

"I can help," Dawn volunteered, wrestling with the baby monitor, trying to get it out of the box. Joyce nodded, pushing Buffy into the bathroom to start her morning routine. "How did she do last night?" she asked.

"She had several nightmares," Joyce told Dawn. "Thankfully I was able to coax her through them without having to wake her up."

"That's good," Dawn said as she gathered up the bedding. "Tara said she'll just continue inventorying the new arrivals at The Gallery like you showed her yesterday. Willow was gonna help her so you don't have to go back until you're ready."

"Perfect," she said as she drew a bath for her daughter, "but yesterday I was reminded that I have a show I need to put on for the New York artists. I totally forgot so I'm already behind schedule."

"You have Tara to help now," Dawn reminded her.

"Yeah, but we didn't begin to cover art shows." The water stopped and Dawn went to the doorway, watching as her mother lowered Buffy into the bathtub. There was only a couple of inches of water, but they could hear Buffy sigh in enjoyment. "Does that feel good baby?" Joyce asked. They both were shocked when Buffy nodded her head slightly. "We'll see how she does today then maybe I'll go in tomorrow." Dawn nodded.

"I'll go get these sheets going. I'll be downstairs if you need anything." Joyce nodded as she lathered up a washcloth and cleaned her daughter. She quickly changed the ostomy bag and let Buffy soak in the warm water for a few minutes before pulling the plug. As the water drained Buffy opened her eyes and found her mother, smiling softly. She lifted a hand, which Joyce used to pull her into a sitting position. Buffy was getting better at being able to hold herself up, so after Joyce propped her up, she quickly ran into Buffy's room and grabbed some clothes while the last of the water drained. Grabbing some towels as she reentered the bathroom. She smiled when she saw Buffy still sitting upright, waiting for her to return. She quickly dried then dressed her daughter before carrying her downstairs.

"Dawn? Can you get the wheelchair please?" she asked as she put Buffy in the recliner. A few minutes later Dawn brought the chair down and Buffy was soon sitting comfortably in it. The day passed quickly and quietly. Dawn brought the twins down and they both watched and played with all three of them as they sat in the living room. Buffy slept as often as her children, but this time they heard the whimpering that signaled the start of a nightmare and were able to help her through it. By the time the others got home Joyce was feeling good leaving Dawn with them again.

"How was it?" Giles asked as soon as he walked in the door.

"Good," she said. "Nothing Dawn couldn't handle."

"So you'll be coming back to work?" Tara asked. Joyce nodded.

"For a half a day at least."

"Good," Tara said. "Because there's so many things you still need to show me. I finished cataloging all the new arrivals, but I have no idea what to do now."

"We'll go over everything tomorrow," Joyce said, yawning loudly. The long day with little sleep the night before was finally starting to catch up to her. "I'll get started on dinner." She headed into the kitchen only to find Andrew already there, attempting to cook something. "Andrew? What are you doing?"

"Making dinner," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I realized what I did wrong last time and won't make that mistake again."

"What are you making?" Joyce shrugged, taking a seat on a stool. She was tired enough to simply watch him.

"Pot roast," he told her proudly, "although I had to get creative with the sides. You really need to go to the store more often." She shrugged again letting her eyes close. She rested her head on the counter as he turned back to his dinner, leaving her dozing. "Dinner is ready," he announced loudly, which caused her to jump.

"Thank you Andrew," she said politely, as she helped him move everything into the dining room. Everyone else was waiting for them.

"He cooked?" Anya asked nervously. Joyce nodded as she dished out some food onto her plate. Everyone watched her carefully as she took a small bite.

"This is really good," she said, filling her fork up again.

"Thank you," he gushed with pride. Everyone followed her example and dug in.

"Where did you learn to cook like this?" Xander asked, helping himself to seconds.

"I always cooked for the gang," he said. "And before that I cooked at home. It's always been something I knew how to do, just like summoning demons."

"Well, let's just leave you to the cooking for now," Giles said. "We've had enough demons for a few years." Andrew nodded, and began eating with relish. They talked about their day until it was time for bed. They slowly dispersed to their own homes, except for Giles who volunteered to stay again. Joyce quickly accepted and the two of them got Buffy ready for bed. "I'll take care of the twins tonight," he told her. She nodded.

Joyce tried sitting next to the bed at first. She was able to get Buffy to sleep quickly then stayed for an hour before she thought it was safe to go to her own bed. She had just changed into her nightgown when she heard the first whimpers. She raced back, able to help her daughter through her first nightmare and back into peaceful sleep. Joyce returned to her own bed, climbing in gratefully and was just about to fall asleep when she heard the whimpers again. The third time she heard her daughter whimper in the past hour Joyce decided to simply climb into her bed again. It worked. Both Joyce and Buffy were able to get a few hours of sleep in between nightmares. By the time morning came Joyce was tired, but ecstatic.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Joyce asked Dawn as she got ready to leave again.

"We'll be fine Mom," Dawn rolled her eyes. "We learned from last time and there were no problems yesterday. Besides, we have the Buffy monitor now. I'll be able to hear her wherever I go. And if anything happens I'll call you."

"If you're sure," she said, gathering up her keys. It wasn't quite noon yet so she could get in a few hours before returning. Dawn rolled her eyes, again pushing her mother out the door.

"Have a good day," she called after her before turning to the rest. "So what are we going to do today?"

"We could have a 'Star Wars' movie marathon," Andrew suggested. "If you go out of order they are so much better." Dawn opened her mouth to disagree but then thought better of it. She didn't have any better ideas.

"Sure, but you're making the popcorn."

* * *

"Mom. Are you okay?" Dawn asked as Joyce dragged herself into the kitchen. Joyce yawned loudly, heading straight for the coffee pot. "Buffy?"

"Watching TV," Joyce told them handing Dawn the second baby monitor. She was exhausted. The last few days were developing into a nasty pattern. Buffy was still having terrible nightmares. Everyone was getting better at coaxing her through them during the day, but Buffy refused any help at night except from her mother. The sleepless nights were starting to take their toll on the older woman. The first night on her own was a disaster. Dawn was invited to a slumber party at her friend Janice's house. Dawn offered to stay, but Joyce insisted she go and have fun. She thought she would be able to handle everything on her own. She did, but was so miserable the next day she vowed never to turn down help again. It seemed that once she calmed down Buffy the twins would need something, then once she took care of them Buffy would start whimpering. Luckily everyone was stepping up as best they could and helping with the twins, which left Joyce free to focus on Buffy. But she didn't know how much more of this she could take.

"Maybe someone else could take over Buffy duty for a night?" Dawn suggested.

"We tried that last night," Joyce said. "Giles tried to get her to sleep, but she refused. Now she won't even go to sleep unless I'm in the bed with her."

"Don't most kids go through this phase?" Dawn asked. Joyce nodded. "So how do you get them to stop?"

"Usually you wait for them to fall asleep then put them back in their own beds." Dawn looked thoughtful.

"Maybe we can try that with Buffy. Let her fall asleep while you're there but then switch out with someone else. We've all talked her through her nightmares during nap times, why should it be any different during sleep times? Maybe she'll wake up and see us and realize you don't need to be there with her?"

"It certainly couldn't hurt to try," Joyce said, taking a long swig of her coffee to try and wake up. "Tonight? Me and you? A date with our insane family member?"

"Sounds like a plan," Dawn said just as the twins started crying. She hurried off to get them, leaving Joyce to make herself a quick breakfast and head over to The Gallery.

"Another sleepless night?" Tara asked knowingly as soon as Joyce went into the shop. She just nodded as she headed to the office. "I've done everything I could for the upcoming show. I've ordered the flyers, sent out press releases, ordered flowers and catering, and informed the artists. The only thing I can't do is the layout."

"I know," she told her, "and thank you for doing everything else. You really are a lifesaver. And don't take this the wrong way, but I'll just do the layout myself. We're still behind schedule and it will be faster than me trying to explain everything to you."

"I understand," Tara said dejectedly, looking down at the floor. Joyce sighed, giving the shy girl a quick hug. Tara looked up at the unexpected contact.

"I will show you how to do it," she promised. "I want you to know everything about this business, not just cataloging and ordering flyers. Eventually I want you to go on art buying trips and have your own art shows. I will show you everything. Just not today. I owe the New York artists more than you could ever know. Without them I would have never found my daughter. The least I can do is give them the best show possible."

"I understand," Tara said again, but this time she really did. Joyce nodded and got to work, trusting the rest of the store to Tara. Joyce got lost in her work, accomplishing much before it was time to go back home.

"I've decided on the basic layout," she told Tara as they locked up. Giles and Anya had already left, but Willow was waiting for them patiently. "Now I just have to figure out the individual layouts and decide which complementary pieces will work best."

"That sounds interesting," Willow said as they got into the car.

"Really?" Joyce asked as she drove home. "Which part?" she asked, knowing Willow liked the art business as much as Buffy did. Beside her Tara was smirking.

"Well, you know," Willow started. "The art and the art that goes with the art to make better art." Joyce raised an eyebrow and shot Willow a look through the rear view mirror. Willow sighed. "Okay, not interesting, but it's your thing and I'm trying to be supportive."

"And I appreciate that," Tara said kindly, reaching her hand back and holding hands with Willow. Joyce smiled at them. They held hands the rest of the way home, only stopping when Joyce parked the car and they had to break apart to climb out. "Let's go see what culinary experiment Andrew has cooked up for us today."

"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes," Andrew called out as soon as he saw them. He had taken it upon himself to become the official cook of the family, much to Joyce's dismay. She liked cooking for her family, but she had to admit it was nice coming home to a waiting meal.

"That will give me just enough time to feed Buffy," Joyce said, reaching for one of her bottles. She found Buffy and the rest in the living room, watching something on TV. "Are you hungry?" she asked her oldest. Buffy just turned to her, watching her contentedly. Joyce headed over, lifting up Buffy's shirt enough to reach the feeding tube. Buffy watched curiously as the liquid drained out of the tube. When Joyce changed out the food for the water, Buffy awkwardly moved her hand towards it. She placed her hand on her mother's hand, which was carefully guarding the tube in case Buffy got a hold of it and pulled, but after a minute Buffy moved her hand back onto the armrest of her chair. She quickly disconnected the bottle before cleaning the intake tube and taping it back to Buffy's stomach just as she was taught. Buffy watched her curiously during the exchange. "All done baby," she said as she leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead.

"Dinner," Andrew announced gleefully. "I call this one shrimp surprise." Everyone gathered in the dining room rather uncertainly. While Andrew did prove himself to be a good cook, he had a tendency to experiment with his cooking in a way reminiscent with Dawn's own food experiments.

"What exactly is the surprise?" Anya asked evenly. "Is something going to burst through our stomachs while we are sleeping and kill us all?"

"I wish I was that cool," he told her. She rolled her eyes, but took a bite out of the mystery dish.

"This is actually pretty good," she said, giving it her stamp of approval. Andrew beamed as he helped dish the others their food.

"Buffy," Joyce warned from the head of the table. As usual she had her daughter next to her. Buffy's hand was slowly inching toward her stomach and the feeding tube when her mother caught her. Her hand stopped as she gazed nonchalantly around the room. Joyce rolled her eyes and focused on her own food, only to have Buffy start moving her hand again after a few minutes. "Buffy!" she warned again, this time using her Mom voice. Again her hand stopped and she gazed around the room, looking at anything but her mother.

"Did she just diss you?" Dawn asked.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Joyce grumbled, helping herself to another bite.

"It is since she returned," Giles pointed out. Buffy started to move her hand again. "Buffy!" he tried, but she only stopped for a second before continuing.

"Buffy! No!" Joyce said sternly, grabbing her daughter's hand and gently, but forcefully, putting it back on the armrest. With her other hand she grabbed her chin and forced her to look at her. "You don't touch the feeding tube!" she said sternly. She waited until Buffy nodded her head before letting go and returning to her dinner.

"Did she just nod?" Xander asked as Buffy returned her gaze to the room. He noticed she wasn't trying to get to the tube any more.

"She'll do that for Mom," Dawn said proudly before frowning. "Not for anyone else though."

"Not yet," Tara told her, "but think of how far she's come with all of us. Think of all the things she would only do for your mom at first that now she'll do for us. It's just a matter of time until this one is added." Everyone nodded, seeing the truth of Tara's words. Dinner finished and everyone went their separate ways, except for Willow and Tara who volunteered for twin duty.

"You ready?" Joyce asked as she and Dawn cleaned the dishes afterwards.

"As I'll ever be," Dawn replied, drying her hands on a dish towel. They headed into the living room where everyone was watching TV. "You ready for bed Buffy?" Dawn asked her sister. Buffy just stared at her. Dawn sighed, unlocking the chair and pushing her over to the stairs.

"We really need to get something for these stairs," Joyce said, picking her daughter up and carrying her up the stairs. Dawn followed behind with the wheelchair.

"Xander put in the paperwork," Willow said, stopping at the foot of the stairs and watching. This was the one instance when Buffy's severely malnourished frame worked in their favor. "City hall is reviewing it now. Do you want some help?" she asked, knowing what the two of them were trying to do.

"Thanks but no," Joyce said, when she reached the landing. She moved forward enough to let Dawn up, then thankfully returned her daughter to her chair. "It has the best chance of working with family. Not that you're not family, but I meant family she grew up with."

"We understand," Tara said, cutting through Joyce's babbling. Joyce nodded, before pushing Buffy to her room. "If you need anything," Tara offered. Joyce nodded.

"Thanks," she said gratefully before turning to her daughter. "It will still be a few minutes to finish her nightly routine. I'll let you know when we're ready unless you want to help."

"I think I'll finish watching the show," Dawn said, heading back downstairs. Joyce nodded. It was a toss-up between Xander and Dawn as to who was most freaked out by the care Buffy required. For Xander it was because the care was so intimate, especially considering he had a crush on Buffy for the longest time. Dawn was wigged seeing her strong sister completely helpless. They both were willing to help, but they preferred to help in other areas. Joyce started the routine, having done it so many times it was completely natural to her now. She was amazed when Buffy started interacting with her. Small things, like a smile or a head nod, but they meant the world to Joyce.

She quickly finished her part of the routine. Dawn would help with Giles's exercises when she came up. They decided that earlier. Buffy always connected with whoever was helping her with her exercises, which was usually Giles, but they hoped that if Dawn helped that connection would spill over into her sleep. Giles reluctantly agreed with their logic and returned to his own home for the first time since the nightmares started. Joyce doubted he was getting any more sleep than they would though.

"All right," Joyce said as she finished up dressing Buffy in her pajamas. "Now we just have to wait for Dawn. Shall we watch some TV while we wait?" she asked, unprepared when Buffy nodded her head slightly. This was the first time she had ever responded to one of Joyce's questions. She always talked to her daughter while doing the routines, but that was mostly to fill the silence. "Okay," she said, hopping onto the bed. Buffy leaned into her, but it wasn't the bone crushing grips she had when they were trying to get her to sleep. Instead it was just using her mother as a pillow. Joyce grabbed the remote and found something that looked mildly interesting as both mother and daughter began to watch and relax.

The show couldn't hold Joyce's attention. She found her gaze drifting over to Buffy more times than she could count. She watched as Buffy was apparently mesmerized, her eyes never leaving the TV. She thought about all the changes that were happening since Giles, Willow, and Xander entered her mind. True, the nightmares were bad, but Buffy never interacted with anyone before either. Maybe more than just horrible nightmares were released when they opened that door. Joyce made a mental note to discuss this thought with Giles when Dawn knocked lightly on the door.

"You guys ready?" she asked lightly. Joyce nodded, slipping out of the bed easily. Buffy turned her attention from the TV to Dawn, smiling as she watched her sister. "Time for your workout," Dawn said as she started with the stretches. Dawn constantly talked to her, leaving Joyce little to do but watch from the corner. Every so often Buffy would seek her out, but for the most part Dawn had her complete attention. By the time they were done Buffy's eyes had started drooping, which is what they were hoping for. Without missing a beat Dawn climbed into bed with her sister, pulling the covers up tightly around them. Buffy was fine for a minute before she realized what was happening. She started twisting around, searching for her mother. Dawn tried her best to calm her down, but after a few minutes of Buffy getting more and more agitated Joyce stepped in.

"It's okay," she soothed, stepping next to the bed but not climbing on. Buffy immediately reached for her, and she relented and grabbed her daughter's hand. Buffy immediately calmed down. Dawn continued to soothe her, and they watched as her eyes slowly closed. When they thought she was finally asleep Joyce tried to remove her hand, only for Buffy to jerk up in fear. She calmed down again when Joyce stopped trying to get free, only for the pattern to repeat whenever Joyce tried to move her hand. "Any other ideas?" she asked Dawn, who only shrugged.

"Have you tried a security blanket?" Andrew suggested from the hall.

"Andrew?" Joyce asked as calmly as she could. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be spending the night at Giles's?"

"Oh I was," he told them quickly, "but then I realized that I took my Babyman Utility Belt. I was bringing it over in case the girls needed it, but forgot to stock up on baby powder during the day and figured I'd fill it up before handing it off."

"Andrew," she said, feeling another sleepless night coming on. "Go away."

"Right," he said turning around only for Dawn to stop him.

"Wait." He turned back to them. "What did you mean a security blanket?"

"Oh. It seems to me you're getting her to sleep just fine," he told them, "it's only when you go to pull away that she notices. If she's clutching something else maybe she won't notice when you pull away."

"That actually makes sense," Joyce said in wonder. "What could we use as a security blanket?" she asked Dawn before turning back to Andrew. "And how long have you been standing there." He shifted his feet, looking guilty, but Joyce completely forgot about him with Dawn's next words.

"Mr. Gordo."

"I thought we got rid of that years ago," Joyce said. "When we cleaned out her room."

"I kinda snuck back in when you were talking to Giles and pulled it out of the bag," Dawn admitted. "I thought I was ready to move on but I guess I wasn't." She turned to Andrew. "Mr. Gordo is a stuffed pig. It is on the top shelf in my closet. Go and get it."

"But you said I wasn't allowed in your room," he protested.

"One time only," she told him, "and if you touch anything other than Mr. Gordo I'll tell Spike. He knows plenty of places where you can hide a body." Andrew gulped but went off to do her bidding, returning after a few minutes with the stuffed toy. He handed it to Joyce before running out of the room. "He can be very strange."

"Yeah," Joyce said, looking at the pig with reverence. She wished some nights that she hadn't gotten rid of the small toy. True, they all kept little reminders of Buffy when they finally decided she wasn't coming back and cleared out her room, but nothing represented the child she raised as much as this pig, the only toy to pass through her teenage years and into adulthood.

"You okay Mom?" Dawn asked. Joyce looked to her, wiping tears away that she didn't realize she cried.

"Yeah," she told her. "Just lots of memories with this little guy."

"I know," she said knowingly. She gave her mother a few minutes to compose herself. "Ready to try." Joyce nodded, pulling her hand away. Buffy immediately reacted, her panic stricken eyes searching out for her mother.

"Buffy," Joyce said cheerfully. "Look who it is." She held the pig up, putting it directly into her line of vision. "Mr. Gordo." Buffy stared at it for a few minutes before hesitantly reaching for the toy. Joyce readily gave it up. "He said he's here to watch over you as you sleep and keep all the monsters away." They watched in awe as Buffy clutched the toy tightly to her chest, her fingers clumsily stroking his fur. "You can rest now. He won't let anything hurt you."

Joyce rested her hand across her daughter's hand, where it clutched the pig tightly. Buffy looked up once more, before her gaze fell to the pig. They watched as she slowly closed her eyes. They gave her a few minutes before Joyce slowly withdrew her hand, but Buffy didn't stir. She locked gazes with Dawn, who nodded minutely. Joyce dimmed the lights as she made her way into her own bedroom, leaving the door wide open in case she was needed.


	19. Chapter 19

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"How did it go?" Giles asked as he entered the house early the next morning to find four tired, but happy women congregating in the kitchen. Willow and Tara were of course not used to being woken up in the middle of the night constantly to feed and care for infants, but they handled the situation well.

"It worked," Joyce told him. She looked much better than she had in the past week, but Giles could still see dark circles under her eyes. "I kept waking up whenever I heard Buffy, but Dawn handled everything well. I think we might have found a solution."

"Where is Buffy?" Giles asked, so used to seeing Buffy with the group that her absence disturbed him. Dawn smiled.

"Still sleeping," she said proudly. She pointed to the second baby monitor that had 'Buffy' labeled on its side. The light was blinking slowly, indicating that both units were turned on and transmitting, but no sound could be heard coming from her.

"As our former librarian you should appreciate the phrase 'Silence is Golden'," Willow said, taking a sip from her coffee mug. Tara plopped the other monitor, which was labeled 'Twins' on the counter.

"It is amazing," he said. "How did you do it?"

"It was Dawn's idea," Joyce said proudly.

"Actually it was Andrew's idea," Dawn countered. "Which is very disturbing."

"Did it work?" Andrew asked, leading Veronica and Albert into the house. Joyce noticed he didn't even bother to knock anymore, and wasn't at all disturbed by it.

"It did," she said, reaching over and giving him a quick hug. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job ma'am," he said in a horrible southern accent before rounding the counter. "Who wants omelets?"

"Oh omelets," Xander said, as he and Anya entered the kitchen.

"Don't you people have your own kitchens?" Albert asked with a chuckle.

"Yes, but our omelets are never as good," Anya said. Andrew had made at least one ally in the group, as long as he didn't try to do anything but cook.

"Oh look, the gang's all here," Spike drawled as he casually walked into the room.

"Isn't it a bit late for you to be taking your midnight stroll?" Xander asked, pointing to the window and the sunlight streaming through. Spike deftly avoided the light as he helped himself to a cup of blood.

"I was waiting in the basement for you lot to wake up," he said, placing the mug in the microwave.

"Problems?" Giles asked casually. Spike shrugged.

"Nothing Big Bad couldn't handle," he said as the microwave pinged. He took a long drink of the warm blood. "Bunch of demons passing through on their way to L.A. Whatever their apocalypse is it's about to happen."

"I'll warn Wesley," Giles said. "Anything else?"

"A couple demons trying to start something down at Willies. I put a stop to it permanently. A few vampires passing through thought it would be fun to raise some hell on the Hellmouth. I taught them the error of their ways. And a couple of voodoo wanna-be's were trying to raise a zombie. I scared them off before they could do any real damage, but you might want to look into that."

"Right," Giles said, making a mental note to talk with the local voodoo practitioners. He saw Spike still looking at him. "Something else," he said, knowing it wasn't a question this time. The vampire sighed.

"Dru's back. Darla too, probably, but she's so young now that I can't sense her." Everyone looked up in panic. The few times the crazy vampire had returned someone nearly died. "Not in town," Spike quickly clarified, "but she's near. If what witchy boy said was true and Wolfram and Hart are trying to bring back Angelus they're probably waiting to see if it works. Just thought you should be on your guard in case it isn't simply a case of watching the show."

"Thank you," Giles muttered. "If you hear anything else?"

"I'll let you know," he assured them, though everybody knew that wasn't any guarantee. Spike could never be completely objective when it came to his Sire. He tended to give her a free pass as long as she didn't do anything to destructive when she was in town. But they also knew from experience he would intervene if she tried to hurt any of them.

"Right," Giles said, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. "But perhaps it would be prudent for you to have some assistance during patrols for the next few days." Spike shrugged.

"Whatever you say Watcher," he told them, expecting nothing less. He was secretly glad for the company when dealing with his crazy ex. He was terrified she would find a way to lure him back to the darkness and he would hurt one of them. "Where's Buffy?" he asked, suddenly noticing she wasn't there.

"Sleeping," Joyce said distractedly. Spike cocked his head, listening hard, before smirking.

"Not for much longer Mum," he said, finishing his blood and rinsing the cup out in the sink. "Now since I'm trapped here I think I'll head down to my room for the day. Night."

"Night," everyone chorused after him as he left. Joyce looked at the monitor intently. Sure enough a few seconds later they could hear sounds as Buffy stirred.

"Stupid vampiric hearing," she grumbled as she prepared to climb off her stool. Just as she was about to stand Giles put his hand on her shoulder.

"You are exhausted," he told her. "Perhaps it would be best if someone else helped Buffy this morning."

"She's my daughter," she protested. Giles raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. The two had a silent staring match before Joyce backed down. "Who's going to help her?"

"I have cared for her before," he told her, "and I know exactly what she needs."

"Are you sure?" she double checked. "This is very personal."

"I'm sure," he told her. "I suggest you take a nap and let us help you." She nodded, letting her head fall onto the counter. Giles moved upstairs.

"Good morning Buffy," they heard before he turned the second device off. Dawn reached out, resting her hand on her mom's shoulders.

"Maybe you should go back to bed?" she suggested. Joyce shook her head.

"I can't. I have too much to do at The Gallery. I really need to go in for a full day."

"What about Buffy and the twins?" Dawn asked. "I already had plans to go out with Janice and her family. We're preparing for the camping trip. Remember?"

"Ohh," Joyce groaned as she suddenly remembered the conversation she and Dawn had last night. They had this trip planned for months. She had completely forgotten, the success of the night completely eclipsing everything.

"I can stay," Veronica volunteered. "I wasn't helping in Rupert's shop in any way, just getting a feel for a typical day on a Hellmouth."

"I can stay as well," Albert told them. "The various arms of The Ring are shut down. The Watchers are in cleanup mode. I don't need to be available to direct operations any more. I'm just waiting for the field reports, which I can do here as well as anywhere."

"Two Watchers, a Slayer, and a vampire stuck in a house all day long," Dawn said, grinning slightly. "Sounds like the start of a bad joke." They all laughed as Andrew dished out the first of the omelets.

"What about me? I can help too."

"Yes you can Andrew," Anya told him, taking the first omelet she could get. "At The Magic Box. It's inventory time and I need someone to count while I hold the clipboard."

"Cool," he said, obviously excited to be included.

"Dare I ask what's cool?" Giles asked as he wheeled Buffy into the kitchen. Joyce raised her head as Andrew place an omelet beside her and studied her daughter. Buffy looked content and Giles only had a small blush on his cheek so she figured everything went okay.

"I'm going to work in The Magic Box today," he said as he finished dishing out the omelets.

"Anya," he groaned, even as he helped himself to the breakfast.

"What?" she asked confused. "You delegated the task to me. Now I'm delegating it to him. I don't see why you're so upset. Inventory will get done."

"But I don't want to pay him," Giles complained.

"Who said anything about paying him?" Anya asked. "He's volunteering." Andrew nodded at this.

"Oh. Well then. Good plan." Anya smiled. They quickly finished their breakfast before heading off to work.

"Are you sure?" Joyce asked again. She wasn't too concerned about the twins, but this would be the first time Buffy would be alone without one of the gang present. Although Joyce had gotten to know Veronica very well, and liked her extremely well, she still wasn't a Scooby. Who knew what sort of reaction Buffy would have to her.

"I'll call if I need you," she promised, "and Spike is still in the basement if it gets too bad. You know he wouldn't let anyone hurt her." Joyce nodded as she left the house. Ten minutes later she entered The Gallery. Tara smiled at her as she went to her office. Joyce went to work immediately on the layout of the New York show. She was inspired and quickly figured out the best placement for the various pieces. She drew a rough outline, which she handed to Tara, knowing the girl could be trusted to place the pieces. Next she figured out what items she would use to accent each piece. She started two lists. The first being things they had in storage and the second being things they needed to shop for.

"This looks amazing," she said as she left her office for the showroom. Tara had recruited Willow, Andrew, and Anya and between the four of them they had most of the paintings hung. Several stands for the smaller sculptures had also been built and were piled in a corner, just waiting for their space to open up.

"Thanks," Tara said. "Xander said he would come by and help with the lighting after the site closes down for the day."

"He is so sweet," Joyce said.

"He is," Anya agreed. "You can't have him." Joyce smiled, pulling out the list of things they needed to buy and handing it to the former demon. "What's this?" she asked, scanning the list. "I get to go shopping?"

"If it's okay with Giles," she said.

"It's fine," he said, standing in the doorway between the two shops. "Everything is relatively quiet right now. Nothing I can't handle on my own."

"Woohoo," Anya cheered, passing the display she was making onto Andrew.

"Just what's on the list," Joyce told her, handing her the shop's credit card. Anya deflated slightly, but just smiled as she grabbed the card and ran from the shop.

"Daring," Willow said. "Last time Giles did that she came back with magical aphrodisiacs."

"I thought we agreed never to discuss that incident," Giles said, before someone opened his door and he had to retreat to his own shop.

"I remember," Joyce said, "but he should know better than to send her out for love potions." Joyce smiled before turning to Tara. She handed her the other list she made, along with the rough idea for the displays. "Here's what I'm thinking." Tara scanned the papers quickly.

"We should be able to do this," she said confidently. "I think I remember where everything is and once Xander finishes with the lighting we'll be able to start working on the center displays." Joyce nodded, a yawn escaping her lips. Tara looked up. "You should head home. Take a nap before we all come barging in later on."

"I think I might just do that," she said. Tara nodded her agreement.

"We'll get started on the displays and rounding stuff up. You get some sleep." Joyce nodded tiredly and grabbed her purse and keys. She waved goodbye to the young adults, who were working in the store and headed for the car. She soon found herself entering her house into one of the strangest scenes she thought she would ever see.

Albert and Veronica were comfortably seated in the recliners. They each were holding a baby and their attention was focused entirely on the couch. Curious, Joyce moved over so she could see what held their gaze. She blinked when she saw Spike sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, one arm around Buffy and the other holding a book. What shocked her even more was that he was reading out loud, even using different voices for different characters. She stood in the hallway for a few minutes, just letting his voice wash over her. Now she understood why the Watchers were so mesmerized. Eventually she moved to put her purse down.

"Joyce?" Veronica called out, seeing the movement. Spike stopped immediately, as if he had been caught doing something wrong. Joyce quickly unloaded before heading into the living room. She was unsurprised to find Buffy curled up against the vampire, her head resting comfortably on his chest. That was quickly becoming one of her favorite positions. What did surprise her was the Giles family. It was obvious that they had been listening to the vampire for quite some time if their rumpled clothes and empty drink cups were any indication.

"Please don't let me interrupt," Joyce said, quickly checking on the infants. Both were asleep, held securely in the arms of the Watchers.

"Please join us," Spike said. Joyce nodded, sitting down on the other side of the vampire.

"What book are you reading to my daughter?" she asked, reaching out for said book. "Demonology? Vampiric lineages? A traveler's guide to Hell?" Spike smirked and held out the book. "Fairy tales?" she asked, slightly confused.

"Not much to choose from if you want something lighter than blood and guts," he said, taking the book back. "Thought this might help the Slayer get some peaceful rest." Joyce looked over at her daughter. She was extremely content right now.

"It worked," she said.

"It definitely worked for the little ones," he said, flipping a few pages until he found where he let off. He started reading again and Joyce found herself sinking into the couch, his voice wrapping around her like a quilt. She didn't realize she drifted off until Dawn was poking her gently in the shoulder.

"Dinner is ready," Dawn said as soon as her mother opened her eyes. Joyce nodded slowly, stretching her arms over her head, before climbing off the couch and heading to the dining room. "So who's taking twin duty tonight?" she asked.

"I will," Albert volunteered. Everyone looked at him warily. "The Ring has all but been eliminated. My business here is almost complete and I will need to return to London shortly. Children of a Slayer are a rare treat, and if it's okay with you," he nodded towards Joyce, "I would like to spend more time with them before leaving." Joyce nodded her approval.

"Okay," Dawn continued. "The twins are taken care of. What about Buffy duty?" Joyce automatically opened her mouth, but Giles beat her to it.

"I will."

"Rupert," Joyce complained, but Giles simply shook his head.

"No. You are so exhausted you can barely function, and you have a very important show in a few days. You need a full night's sleep." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Let me do this for her. For you." Again all Joyce could do was nod. Assignments made, the group settled down for the night.

* * *

"Alright," Xander called softly down the stairs as he left the nursery and headed into the living room. "Billy is down again. He didn't need anything so there's every possibility that Alex won't wake up. So where were we?"

"You were," Anya started when Xander rounded the corner. "Burping me?" she asked smirking.

"What?" Xander looked confused. Anya giggled, pointing at the burping cloth he still had draped over his shoulder. He shrugged it off, draping it across the back of the couch before settling down with Anya. She leaned in and started kissing him intimately.

"I believe we were here," she said, straddling him as she nipped at his neck. His hands went for her shirt, ducking underneath to feel her bare skin. Her hands ghosted over the bulge in his pants, only to pull his shirt up and over his head. Her shirt was about to join his when a small cry could be heard. The couple groaned, Xander's head falling back on the cushion of while Anya rested her head on Xander's shoulder. "I'll take this one," Anya said when Xander started getting up. She quickly climbed off Xander, taking a minute to fix her shirt before heading upstairs. He slowly got up and put his shirt back on.

It was Saturday night, the night of Joyce's art show. Xander and Anya had volunteered to babysit while everyone was attending the show. The couple decided to take advantage of the empty house and have a date night, something they haven't been able to do for a very long time. He took a second to refill their wine glasses and check that the CD's was still going, before sitting back down on the couch. He looked up when he heard Anya coming back down the steps.

"Where were we?" he asked slyly, only to groan when she rounded the corner with Alex in her arms.

"She wouldn't stop fussing," Anya told him honestly. "Every time I went to put her down she started crying again."

"It's okay," he told her lovingly. "The night was just about over anyway."

"There's still some things we can do," she said mischievously. She sat down so close to him she was almost on his lap, swinging her legs across his. She placed Alex where their bodies met then rested her head on his shoulder contentedly. Xander automatically reached out for the baby, letting her grab onto his finger while he held his wife close with his other arm.

"Do you sometimes think about kids?" he asked, suddenly breaking the comfortable silence they shared.

"It's hard not to think about them when Alex is right here," Anya replied, resting her hand on the baby's stomach. Xander rolled his eyes.

"I don't mean these kids," he told her. "I mean kids of our own. Our kids." Anya looked up at him.

"After marriage, children is the number one cause of vengeance," she told him.

"But we're handling the marriage part fine," Xander said. "Haven't you ever wondered what having a baby would be like? Starting a family?"

"Perhaps before I became a demon," she admitted, "but I've seen a lot since then. What parents can do to children and what children can do to parents. It's not pretty." He was about to respond when the door opened.

"I'm back," Joyce called out quietly as she hung up her coat and put the keys away. She moved into the kitchen, seeing the bottle of wine resting on the counter. "Am I interrupting anything?" she asked quietly, waiting for an answer before moving into the living room.

"Xander already ruined the mood by choosing to discuss propagating," Anya said, making no move to move from her comfortable position.

"Please tell me you're not propagating right now," Joyce said, "because I can come back in a bit if you still need to finish up."

"No," Xander assured her. "The mood is definitely ruined." Joyce sighed as she entered the room, half holding her hand up ready to close her eyes at a minute's notice. "We were talking about having kids."

"Which is absolutely silly," Anya added, "since we have three babies here. Two of which are infants."

"Anya," Joyce sighed, knowing Anya wasn't saying this to hurt anyone. She rounded the couch only to see Alex with them on the couch.

"Isn't she supposed to be upstairs asleep?" she asked.

"She wasn't settling down," Xander told her. Joyce nodded.

"Besides," Anya continued, "if I ever did want to stretch my maternal instincts I could always borrow one of the kids. I'm sure Joyce wouldn't mind if we took one for a test ride. She's certainly eager enough to accept our help raising them, why can't we partake in some of the better moments too?" Joyce tiredly rubbed her eyes.

"I'll talk to her," Xander promised. Anya looked confused.

"How did it go tonight?" Joyce asked, trying to change the topic of conversation. Xander smiled.

"Good. We had a nice romantic dinner, gave the twins their dinner, then Anya got the little guys down while I stayed with Buffy till she fell asleep. That trick of using Mr. Gordo was inspired."

"I wish I could take credit for it," she admitted, "but it was Andrew's idea."

"Well it worked like a charm. She hasn't made a peep all night," he said, indicating the two monitors that were sitting on the coffee table. "I wish the same could be said about this one and her brother." He mock scowled at Alex, but the effect was lost as the baby finally was sleeping soundly again.

"That's good to hear," she said, trying unsuccessfully to stifle her yawn. "I can take it from here if you want to get some rest." They nodded, Anya carefully scooping up Alex as she climbed off Xander when a scream tore through the house, coming from both upstairs and the 'Buffy' monitor. Alex woke up screaming, which was soon echoed from Billy, as everyone ran for the stairs. Anya detoured into the nursery, trying her best to get the infants to settle back down, but Joyce and Xander headed directly for Buffy's room.

The blonde was screaming hysterically, looking around the room in confusion. "Hey Buff," Xander said calmly as he took a step into the room. Buffy screamed louder, the terrifying sound echoing throughout the house. She threw her stuffed pig at him, causing him to automatically jump back, then began trying to get as far away as she could. She would have fallen out of the bed if Xander didn't come back in and quickly steady her. Her response was a slap on his cheek.

"Buffy!" Joyce automatically admonished. The terrified girl turned toward her, fear in her eyes as she began backing away from the newest threat. There was no recognition in her daughter's eyes at all. "Anya? Can you call Giles please?" she asked, without breaking eye contact with the blonde. Buffy turned away first, as she started searching for escape routes. Joyce sighed as she once again nearly fell out of the bed in an attempt to get away. "Xander? Can you raise the rails then come over by me?"

"Yeah," he said, shaking his head dazedly. Careful not to make any sudden moves, he slowly inched toward the bed. Buffy shrank back from him, screaming the entire time, but made no move to hit him again as he raised one rail then circled around the bed for the other. "So this is what I missed the other day?" he asked when he rejoined her. She took one step back, so she was right up against the wall.

"Yes," she told him, never looking away, "minus the screaming. Did she hurt you?"

"Naw," he dismissed her concern. "It stings a bit, but nothing like she could do. It had strength but no skill."

"You still might want to put some ice on it," she said, breaking away for one second to inspect the damage. Xander nodded and left the room. Joyce looked back at her daughter. Buffy had stopped screaming as soon as Xander left, but she continued to watch her mother warily. The cold look shook Joyce to the core. As the staring match continued she dimly heard Xander help Anya get the twins settled and the door open as Giles hurried over.

"Joyce?" Giles asked quietly from her room. He was wisely staying out of view until he could assess the situation. Joyce took a slow step backward, passing through the doorway and into her own room. As soon as she crossed the threshold, Buffy started shaking, awkwardly pulling her legs up to get into as small a space as possible. "Another nightmare?" he asked knowingly.

"Yes," she confirmed, "but it's different from before. According to Xander she didn't make any sounds until she started screaming. And when we got up there it was like she didn't know who we were. Almost like she was still trapped in the nightmare and we were just her tormentors."

"That's entirely possible," he said, snaking his head around the doorjamb to see the girl. "We all have a moment or two of disorientation when we wake up from a particularly frightening nightmare. A brief time when dreams and reality are blurred and we can't tell which one we are in. I would imagine she must be experiencing that effect a thousand times worse."

"No it's more than that," Joyce insisted. "It's like for a minute she wasn't Buffy. Ever since you entered her mind she's been different. And not just in the bad, nightmarey way either. She was slowly being Buffy again." He nodded, showing he saw the changes as well. "Right now though, there was no warmth or playfulness that Buffy shows. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was The Slayer."

"Really?" Giles asked, studying the girl intently. Buffy realized she wasn't going to get passed the rails on the bed, such a minor roadblock that would normally garnish nothing more than a laugh from the lively girl. Instead she had curled up in the farthest corner of the bed, her body shaking as a result of her terror. "May I?" he indicated her room. Joyce nodded, stepping aside so Giles could enter.

As soon as he stepped foot inside the room Giles noticed the change. Buffy immediately stopped shaking, eyeing him like he was prey. She released her grip on her legs, letting them flop down uselessly, and assumed whatever defensive position she could. He took one step forward and she started screaming, never taking her eyes off him. He stepped back to the wall just as Joyce had earlier. "Xander? Could you go get the sedative please?" he asked calmly.

"Way ahead of you G-man," Xander said, pointing to the small box on Joyce's dresser. He stepped back through the doorway, watching as Buffy once again reverted to her shaking form.

"See what I mean?" Joyce asked. He nodded as he prepared a dose of the medicine.

"It's like we're not dealing with Buffy right now," Xander said lightly. "She reminds me of the First Slayer we met in Buffy's mind."

"Oh my God Xander," Giles said, slowly lowering the syringe and carefully putting the vial back into its case before pulling his glasses off. He started polishing them as he thought out loud. "That actually makes sense. We know The Slayer has been helping Buffy cope with her real life trauma. It makes sense to carry that help to her nightmares. If she was woken up suddenly while the First Slayer was trying to protect her, it's entirely possible that Buffy isn't who we are dealing with right now."

"So how do we help her?" Joyce asked. "How do we get our daughter back?" Xander frowned slightly as Giles sighed, pulling his glasses off.

"Eventually Buffy will reemerge. It is still her body and her mind. The only thing we can do is wait her out. Be ready when Buffy does emerge, show her she is safe and doesn't need to hide behind The Slayer."

"We still gonna give her the mickey?" Xander asked, pointing to the syringe lying on the dresser. Giles nodded.

"It will help calm her down and hopefully will encourage Buffy to come out."

"Okay," Xander told him, "but she's got a mean punch."

"I am well aware," Giles responded, putting his glasses back on and grabbing the syringe. "Let's do this." The three of them stepped back into the room, Buffy's cold stare immediately on them. She let out a shriek as they slowly moved to the bed, Xander veering to the left while Joyce and Giles headed right. She got more agitated as they continued moving closer, eventually swiping at Xander who quickly stepped out of range. Giles took the opportunity to grab her arm. Her head whipped to his side, her left arm rising to attack when Xander threw himself on it.

"Anytime," Xander said as he struggled to keep her arm down. Joyce copied his actions with her right arm and Giles quickly administered the sedative as soon as he could. Buffy was screaming and bucking the entire time, not resting until as one they let go and backed away from the bed.

"Now we wait," he said, grabbing a chair and moving it toward the wall but not leaving her room. Joyce copied his actions. She watched them intently, her cold gaze never leaving theirs, but made no further moves against them.

"You want some help?" Xander offered, already knowing what their answer would be. As expected, they shook their heads. He gently took the syringe from Giles's iron grip. "I'll take care of this stuff," he told them, "then Anya and I will take care of the twins tonight. You two just focus on their mother." They nodded and he left his best friend with her mother and her Watcher.


	20. Chapter 20

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Morning," Willow said cheerfully as she and Tara entered the house. She frowned when nobody answered them. "Joyce?" she called out, starting to get scared. The house was never this quiet. Behind them the Watchers were coming up the walk, Andrew following them like a lost puppy. Tara held the door open as Willow cautiously moved beyond the foyer.

"Morning," Andrew called as he rushed past them and up the stairs. A second later he came running back down. "The twins are gone!" he screamed as he joined them in the foyer.

"What?" Tara asked, looking around the house carefully. Willow was doing the same, going from room to room looking for any signs of a disturbance.

"What's wrong?" Veronica asked, seeing Andrew nearly hyperventilating.

"The twins are gone," Tara said, placing a calming hand on Andrew's shoulder. The blonde boy started calming down at the touch. Willow joined them after her cursory inspection.

"No signs of any trouble," she said. She looked up when someone could be heard coming down the stairs. "Giles?" she asked when he got far enough down to make out his crumpled form.

"Willow," he greeted as he mechanically made his way into the kitchen.

"The twins are gone!" Andrew cried, grabbing his arm and shaking until Tara was able to pull him off.

"They're not gone," he said, tiredly, reaching for the freshly made coffee. He took a long drink, hoping the coffee would wake him up, before turning to the group.

"What's going on?" Willow asked, sensing the tension in the older man.

"A very bad night," he told them. "Buffy had a nightmare. A bad one. Joyce is with her right now, but she's not having very much success calming her down."

"You didn't give her a sedative?" Albert asked as he put some water on for tea.

"Of course I did," Giles grumbled. "She's been fighting it. She's been fighting everything since she woke up screaming."

"She's still awake?" Tara gasped. Giles nodded.

"Awake and fighting us at every turn," he told them.

"But where are the kids?" Andrew asked as a scream could be heard coming from upstairs. Everyone winced but Giles, who just sighed resignedly. He topped off his coffee cup before pouring a second one.

"Xander and Anya took them to their house," he told them, adding a liberal amount of sugar into each cup. "Buffy's screams woke them up more than once. Their cries added to an already tense situation. Anya thought the best solution was to simply remove them from the house. Joyce and I couldn't think of any better alternatives."

"So they're fine," Andrew said, visibly calming down. "I'll just go check on them then," he said, standing up.

"Oh no," Giles said, reaching out to restrain the boy. "They might not mind us walking into their house unannounced, but I can only imagine the creative ways Anya would deal with you intruding on them. We have enough to deal with right now without trying to undo whatever Anya would do to you."

"Right," Andrew said calmly. "Breakfast?" he asked, pulling on his apron. Giles shook his head.

"What can we do?" Tara asked kindly. Giles smiled at her.

"The best thing you can do right now is leave," he told them gently. "We are slowly making progress with Buffy, but she is in no state of mind to deal with anybody else right now. Give us some space. Help Xander and Anya with the twins. We'll call if we need help."

"What about Dawn?" Willow asked as she and Tara made their way to the door, dragging Andrew with them. "She's supposed to get back later today. Do you want us to intercept her?" Giles closed his eyes, groaning softly.

"I forgot," he admitted. "It would be best if you could intercept her and explain the situation." They nodded as they headed out the door. Veronica followed them. "Father?" he asked when Albert didn't follow the group.

"If you don't mind I would like to stay," he told his son. Giles sighed. He was too tired to fight right now.

"It's up to Joyce," he said, closing the door and leading him back upstairs. He led him into Joyce's bedroom, stopping short of the door connecting her room to Buffy's. He motioned for his father to wait, then slowly entered the room. "Joyce," he said calmly, handing her a coffee mug. Buffy's eyes were immediately on him. She was whimpering slightly at his presence, until he retook his seat. "My father is waiting outside," he said calmly, never breaking Buffy's intense stare.

"Why?" Joyce asked bluntly, her exhaustion clearly visible.

"I want to help," he told her honestly, inching closer to the doorway but staying out of sight. At his voice Buffy began searching the room, ignoring the two of them for the first time.

"Maybe a common enemy?" Giles suggested, seeing her reaction. He slid his eyes to Joyce, who shrugged.

"It couldn't hurt," she thought. Buffy's eyes moved to her mother for one second, before continuing her search. "Come in slowly, but stay near the wall," she instructed. He did so slowly, coming to stand in the doorjamb as he surveyed the scene. Buffy was in the middle of the bed, her arms around her legs as she pulled them up into her body, trying to become as small as possible. Her eyes scanned the room even as her head drooped and jerked back up. Stepping out of the doorway her eyes were immediately on him, her stare icy and wary. She dropped her legs, her hands forming fists that were held loosely at her side.

"Hello," he said calmly, taking a sideways step and leaning against the wall. Buffy watched every move he made. "It seems I have her undivided attention."

"What now?" Joyce asked.

"Go to your daughter," Albert told her. "Use me as a common foe, as Rupert suggested." Joyce nodded, getting slowly to her feet and inching closer to her daughter.

"Buffy," she called gently, reaching out to her. Buffy whimpered, but her eyes never left Albert. She allowed Joyce to touch her shoulder. "I won't let him hurt you. I promise." Her eyes slid to Joyce for one second before refocusing on Albert, but she dropped her fists, again pulling her legs up. Joyce slowly climbed on the bed, relieved when Buffy didn't pull away. She carefully wrapped her arms around her daughter, pulling her into her side. Buffy didn't fight her at all, letting Joyce lead her. "It's okay. It's okay," she said as she started running her fingers through her daughter's hair. Buffy whimpered, but allowed the touch. She stiffened when Albert moved to the empty chair, but didn't pull away.

"It's better than last night," Giles commented. Buffy glanced his way before looking back at Albert. They settled into an uncomfortable silence which seemed to last for hours. Eventually Buffy started relaxing, leaning into her mother even as she forced herself to stay awake. A soft knock interrupted them. They looked up to see Veronica quietly knocking on the door.

"Father," she started quietly. "The field reports you've been waiting for have arrived." Buffy looked for the new voice, but didn't try to leave her mother's embrace.

"That is not important now," he called out quietly.

"Actually it is," she said. "Kate delivered them personally. She said they pertain directly to Buffy."

"In what way?" Giles asked. Veronica took a step inside and Kate followed her. Buffy tensed but didn't pull away from her mother. Albert prepared to get to his feet, but Kate waved him back down, taking in the scene with a knowing grimace.

"There was nothing random about Buffy's abduction," she said softly. "It was all planned."

"What do you mean?" Joyce asked. Kate pulled out a two manila folders, one much thicker than the other, then placed them onto the dresser.

"The demons who ran The Ring apparently adopted the all too human practice of paperwork. This folder," she placed her hand on the thicker folder, "is a detailed record of everything they put Buffy through. Her re-education, which was continually re-enforced, right down to her client list and sales status. Along with her human customers, she was continually sold to different demons, which was slightly unique. The demons were required to provide detailed activity lists for their time together, which her Masters would approve, whereas her human clients simply needed a date and enough cash."

"And the demons did this?" Giles asked. "I can't imagine demons actually agreeing to this, let alone keeping any promises once they had her."

"I doubt the demons would have kept their promises, but The Ring was one step ahead of them. Her handler accompanied them whenever demons bought her. If the demon tried to renege on any part of the deal, or if the handler though they were going too far, the handler killed them. It happened more than a few times early on."

"What exactly did they do when they bought her?" Giles asked, his eyes closed as if he could shield them from the truth. Kate looked at him sympathetically.

"It looks like mostly revenge," she said quietly. "They would chain her up and beat her while she was helpless. Some would rape her while they beat her. Some would use her blood as part of a dark ritual. Others would offer her as a sacrifice or offering. The only rule The Ring had was they couldn't do anything that would disfigured or maim her." Everyone closed their eyes at this information, but Joyce was seething.

"Stop!" Joyce commanded. Giles looked back at her, concerned she was hearing too much disturbing information, but instead her gaze was focused on Buffy. She was shaking even more, her eyes wide and terrified. "Every time you mention something more super than natural she gets more scared."

"Buffy?" Giles asked. She glanced his way briefly before burying her head in her mother's shoulder. The brief glance he got told him The Slayer was gone and Buffy was back.

"It's almost as if she's afraid of anything supernatural," Joyce said.

"She can't be," Albert insisted. "She's the Slayer." At the name Buffy started whimpering.

"She is also my daughter," Joyce said, glaring at the Watchers. "Now I might not have been able to protect my daughter from her destiny, but I can protect her right now. This talk is upsetting her. There will be no talk of any of this in front of my daughter."

"You can't protect her forever," Giles reminded her. "Even if she isn't who she is right now."

"I know," Joyce admitted longingly, "but I can protect her now. Please." Giles nodded.

"Perhaps we can continue this downstairs," Albert suggested. The Watchers nodded. Albert slowly got to his feet and left the room, Veronica following close behind.

"I'll leave this here for you," Kate said, pointing to the larger folder as she picked up the smaller on. "I won't lie. It's pretty disturbing, what they did to her, but hopefully you can use that information to help undo it." Joyce nodded and Kate left. She turned to look at Giles.

"Joyce?" Giles asked.

"I've wanted to say that for years," she admitted. She wanted to smile at the thought of finally telling off the Council, but there was nothing funny about this situation.

"Did it help?" he asked knowingly. She sighed.

"Not as much as I had hoped," she told him. "We're still here with the same problems we had a few minutes ago."

"Perhaps Kate found out something that will help," Giles suggested.

"Then you should go," she said. He stood carefully. Buffy shot him a look, then reburied her head in her mother's shoulder. He hovered uncertainly over the folder Kate left behind, but before he could move it out of the room Joyce held out her hand. "If there's anything in there that can help I need to know." He nodded, handing over the folder along with Mr. Gordo who had found his way up onto the dresser sometime during the night. He soon joined the others in the living room. Kate waited for him to arrive before continuing.

"I was one of the first Watchers in the re-education center" she told them. "Once it became apparent that it was the main office, I decided to base my investigation from there. The Watchers in the other arms sent their field reports to me there. They kept extensive records, mostly about their victims and their clients, but a couple of things stood out to me. First, the re-education center is out of sync with the rest of the world."

"What do you mean?" Albert asked.

"Time doesn't move at the same speed there," Kate said evenly. "It's not as noticeable if you're just popping in and out, but the longer you stay there the more pronounced it becomes."

"Like another dimension?" Veronica asked. Kate shook her head.

"I had some Watchers check it out. Apparently the lair sits on top of a Hellmouth. Though not nearly as large as this one, the demons were somehow able to siphon the energy of the Hellmouth into a concentrated area, creating something like a bubble around them. They are also able to physically control the passage of time in that bubble."

"How?" Albert asked, horrified at the prospect.

"I don't know," Kate told him. "Watchers are still investigating. They'll let us know as soon as they figure it out."

"That's probably why Azeroth was drawn to it in the first place," Giles said. "His plan was ruined and he just wanted to go home and lick his wounds, but the portal that brought him here was already closed."

"Definitely," Kate said, "except it wasn't an accident the bubble was there. Nothing about that encounter was an accident."

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked. Kate sighed.

"Once the field reports started coming in one arm jumped out at me. The Singapore arm. The last one Faith took care of before she passed the task onto the Watchers."

"Where we found the books," Giles said out loud. Kate nodded.

"The other arms were what I would expect," Kate continued, "but this arm was different. They never had a constant influx of slaves needed to carry out business, but every request they made was filled immediately. It was the only arm entirely staffed with demons, not a human in sight. Plus, they got to use Buffy whenever they wanted. The other arms had to petition for her months in advance."

"Which demons?" Giles asked.

"Some I've never heard of," she admitted. "Voulard demons. I wasn't able to find any information about them in the Council Library. Have you ever heard of them?" Everyone shook their heads.

"I can order a search of the Council Archives," Albert said, reaching for the phone.

"I already have," Kate told him. "They're looking into it, but so far nobody has any idea what kind of demons Voulard demons are."

"But you think they are behind all of this?" Giles asked. "Buffy's abduction?"

"I think they're behind the entire ring," Kate said. "And they've been building this for years."

"For what purpose?" Albert asked. "Demons are altruistic by their very nature. They don't do anything unless it benefits themselves. The Ring has been highly profitable, even by demonic standards, but you said the Voulard demons never partook of the riches."

"Not quite," Kate amended. "They never operated their arm in a day to day capacity, but they did get a few spoils."

"What did they get?" Giles asked darkly.

"Children," Kate whispered. "Human children. There are records showing the Voulard demons taking custody of two sets of twins, almost a year apart. The Watchers in Singapore say there's signs the Voulard were trying to fulfill a prophecy, but they have no information as to which one. There was also an order from the Voulard for a third set of children, but it wasn't filled by the time The Ring was taken down. I don't know what happened to them."

"They're next door right now," Giles said darkly, understanding blooming in his eyes. "At least two of them are."

"What?" Kate asked, but the other Watchers clearly caught on to something Kate didn't. Giles ignored her and turned to his father.

"Finding these children must be your highest priority."

"Of course. Kate, you're our top investigator. I need you to go to the Singapore arm right away."

"Not until you tell me what's going on?" she insisted. Giles sighed, but surprisingly it was Albert who answered her.

"We are in the midst of a Prophecy," he told her, "that very few know about. It is referred to as The Dawn of the Third Age."

"What is the Third Age?" she asked. Albert sighed but held her gaze.

"I can't tell you," he admitted regretfully. "I am bound by enchantments and oaths." Kate opened her mouth to protest, but was stopped by Giles.

"I'm not entirely sure myself," Giles told her. "I was only made aware of the prophecy a few weeks ago, and with things being the way they are here, I haven't had any time to really sit down and study. But I do have a theory."

"Which is what?" Veronica asked eagerly. Albert also looked to his son.

"If I'm right the First Age was the beginnings of the Slayer. The Second Age was when Watchers joined her. I believe the Third Age refers to a larger group surrounding the Slayer and her Watcher."

"Like what you've got here?" Kate asked, her brow scrunched up in confusion. "Hasn't it always been like this?"

"Oh no," Albert said, chuckling slightly. "A Slayer with family and friends was unheard of. All our experience taught us that personal connections only cause distractions and got Slayers killed. That is why potential Slayers are removed from their families at an early age, so that the only bond they form is with their Watcher. It has worked for thousands of years."

"Until Buffy was Called," Giles continued the story. "She refused to give up everything that made her human. Her friends, her family, even things she detested like school. She was determined to live as normally as possible. And, despite my misgivings and attempts to dissuade her, she thrived. Her friends were not the distractions I feared, rather sources of strength she tapped into when things were the most trying. Her attempts at normalcy gave her a reason to keep fighting and an outlet when being the Slayer was simply too much."

"So this is a good thing?" Kate asked. "This support system for the Slayer."

"Possibly," Giles admitted. "But there's always two sides to everything. What damage would Faith have been able to do if she had the same support Buffy does when she went dark? 'The seven scions of The Slayer shall gather together as one. A choice shall be made. And the world of man shall burn or be saved. At the Dawn of the Third Age.'"

"Is that it?" Kate asked. Veronica nodded.

"The last line of the prophecy," she confirmed. "Angel was able to find it for us."

"The seven scions," Kate mumbled, looking down at her papers. "Two sets of twins…"

"And one set of triplets," Giles finished for her. "Seven children of the Slayer that these Voulard demons could groom from birth to bring about the Third Age that the demons want."

"We need to find those children," Kate said.

"It is our number one priority," Albert reaffirmed, "but the demons miscalculated. One of the triplets died. Three sets of twins gives six children, not seven." Everyone looked at each other guiltily. "Unless there's something I don't know."

"As opposed to the many things we don't know about this prophecy," Giles pointed out.

"You know I am bound by sorcery," Albert defended. Giles nodded as he reached for the phone.

"If you can't talk about the prophecy, perhaps the demons who made it can," he said as he searched through the papers by the phone, looking for a number he rarely called.

"The Council is already working on identifying the demons," Veronica reminded him. Giles nodded, finding the number and punching it into the headset.

"I'm sure they'll find something eventually," he said as he listened on the phone, "but I need something sooner. Right now."

"Who are you calling?" Kate asked.

"The greatest source of information I know," he responded before focusing on the telephone. He finished his phone call quickly before looking up when someone came down the stairs. "Joyce?" he asked. She looked terrible, tear tracks on her cheeks still wet with tears, but she spoke steadily.

"She's finally asleep," she told him, holding out the monitor while she clutched the folder Kate brought close to her chest. "I was reading through the folder, trying to find anything that would help her. I was getting angrier and angrier, and she picked up on that. She reached out for my hand, stopping me from reading any more, then fumbled through the folder until she found a picture of the brands on her back. She pointed to the one for punishment." At this Joyce broke down, the steady voice she had been using cracked as tears ran down her face again. "She thought I was mad at her and going to punish her for upsetting me. Worse, she was resigned to her punishment, expecting it even."

"What did you do?" Giles asked quietly.

"I broke down," she told him. "I pulled her into my arms and cried. I don't even know what I said to her, if I was even able to say anything at all. I just cried and held her. Eventually she copied me and cried herself to sleep." The last word broke on a sob. Joyce crumpled onto the stairs, the folder falling from limp hands. Giles scooped it up and put it somewhere safe before turning back to the distraught woman. He wondered how to comfort her but soon realized Kate and Veronica had beaten him to it. He went to help, but was pulled away by his father. The last thing he saw was Kate and Veronica encircling the distraught woman with their arms, rocking her gently on the awkward incline of the stairs.

"It is best to let women deal with these situations," Albert told him. Giles looked around, realizing he had been pulled into the kitchen. Albert began making tea, a task Giles readily helped with.

"Is that your experience as a Watcher talking?" Giles asked casually as he grabbed a tray and laid out cookies. Albert laughed.

"There are some things that even Watchers are unprepared for." He filled the kettle and put it on the stove. "This is my experience as a husband and a father. As men we are naturally inclined to be protectors and guardians, but that instinct doesn't help us against emotional attacks. Women, on the other hand, are natural healers. She's in good hands Rupert. They'll look after her and sort her out, before we even finish making the tea." Giles sighed as he added various tea bags to the tray.

"I don't know how to help them," he admitted to his father. "Either of them."

"You already are," Albert told him, "simply by staying." He joined his son, adding sugar, honey, and milk to the tray. "The world is changing, much faster than ever before. I was caught unaware between the two worlds, unprepared for the changes, unwilling to bend to meet them. You and Veronica paid the price for my ineptitude. But I did try my best. Many others can't say the same. You now stand in my place. It is a testament to your devotion that you haven't run." He stopped, turning so he was facing his son directly and waiting for Rupert to acknowledge him. "Raising a family is always scary. You'll make mistakes. But if you're truly the man I think you are, you'll learn from them, not be frightened by them. And I know you'll make a great father and grandfather."

"You know?" he asked. Albert nodded. "Since when?"

"New York," he said. "That's why I came. I wanted to get to know my family. All of them."

"And what did you find?" he asked tiredly.

"An amazing family," he told him. "You've done a good job raising them."

"I haven't done anything," Giles protested. Albert smiled.

"You can't see it because you're so close to them. But I'm an outsider. I see the way they look up to you. All of them, even a Master Vampire. You are their father. Joyce is their mother. And they are your children."

"Even Spike?" Giles asked.

"Surprising isn't it," Albert joked as Giles grabbed a second tray and began loading it with mugs. The door opened and they heard footsteps as others headed into the living room. Giles automatically added extra mugs and tea bags even as Albert grabbed the first tray and headed into the living room.


	21. Chapter 21

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The women had moved to the couch, Joyce still firmly anchored between her two comforters, but they all looked much more composed. Albert stopped briefly when he saw the rest of the Scoobies minus Dawn in the room, but Giles had expected it.

"The screaming has stopped," Anya checked, holding Alex tightly to her. She looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice. "The twins didn't like that and we just got them happy again."

"Buffy is asleep," Giles said, lowering his tray to the coffee table. Albert finally got over the shock of seeing everyone there and followed his example.

"Oh," Anya said, handing the baby over to Andrew as she made herself some tea. Everyone followed her lead. "You wanted to ask me something?"

"Yes," he said, watching Andrew carefully, but apparently he had proven his worth. Nobody moved to intercede, though Xander watched him carefully. "Have you ever heard of Voulard demons?"

"Voulard demons?" she repeated. Giles nodded.

"Have you heard of them?" he asked again.

"Only legends. I thought they were extinct. There was a rumor going around a few thousand years ago that one had popped up, but since I was new and trying to prove myself I didn't pay much attention. A few years later the rumor died."

"What do you know of them?" Giles asked.

"They were the demonic mages, but they haven't been heard of for ages."

"What do you mean demonic mages?" Willow asked.

"You know," Anya said, gesturing emphatically. "To keep the balance." She looked from one blank face to another. "You guys do know about the balance right?"

"Pretend that we don't," Giles said. Anya sighed loudly, putting her cup down a bit harder than she meant to.

"The balance between good and evil?" she said again. "You've had a balance demon seek you out and you still don't know about the balance? I thought you were Watchers."

"Not all of us," Xander said, reaching out to pull her into his arms. "Just start at the beginning," he said, calming her down by rubbing her back gently. She melted into his arms, sighing, before opening her eyes and catching Giles's gaze.

"You know eons ago the world was ruled by demons. True demons." Giles nodded. "Well they suddenly didn't say 'Gee. I wonder what Hell is like this time of year. Let's go find out.' They were banished. There was a war and they lost."

"As interesting as this is what does it have to do with these demons?" Xander asked. She lightly punched him in the arm.

"You need the backstory. If you've never really thought about the balance as anything more than a simple phrase, you really don't know what you're fighting for. You need to understand the context in order for any of it to make sense."

"Xander," Giles complained.

"Shutting up now," he said. "Go on dear." She turned to the Watcher once more.

"It was so long ago that nobody knows exactly how the war was fought or won, but the most accepted theory is that the lesser demons and the humans called a truce and formed a pack against the true demons. When they won, they had to decide what to do with the world. They knew the truce wouldn't last long, it's not in the nature of demons or humans to back down, but they also knew that without order both sides would tear each other apart and true demons would return and exact the ultimate revenge. Both sides agreed to the Grand Plan."

"The Grand Plan?" Albert asked keenly.

"Have you heard of it?" Veronica asked. Albert nodded.

"Many people have. Many modern religions reference some sort of grand design in the architecture of their religion. I didn't realize it was a real thing."

"Oh it is," she said cheerfully. "I have no idea what it is exactly, but the greatest humans and demons of the day agreed to try this plan. They left their mortal coils behind and became guardians of the world, defending demons and humans from the return of the true demons. At least that is how the legend goes."

"So the balance between good and evil is a real thing too?" Xander asked.

"Very much," Anya confirmed. "It was one of the first things D'Hoffryn taught me about being a vengeance demon. We changed reality through the power of the wish, but you had to be careful to not change it too much or the balance would tip and that is never a good thing. If you do you have to go before the Assembly and justify your actions and hope they don't incinerate you. I was almost pulled in front of the Assembly when I did my little change here, and let me tell you I have never known fear like that before. Scarier then bunnies even."

"The Assembly?" Tara asked.

"The Assembly of Balance. The lesser demons and humans who make sure the balance is maintained. Were you not listening?" She sighed again. "They knew the war between demons and humanity would start up again, which it did, but they also knew they still needed to work together to keep the true demons from reentering our world. They formed The Assembly. I think Cordelia referred to them as The Powers That Be." They all nodded. Everyone had heard Cordelia rant about them the few times the two groups got together.

"So they would be the oldest and most powerful sorcerers humanity had back then?" Giles asked, trying to understand. Anya nodded.

"Probably. At least the ones on the light side. They have their counterpoints on the dark side, who probably started out as demons, but over the eons they've all switched sides so many times it's hard to know which side anyone's on. Now their main concern is that the balance doesn't tip too far in favor of one side or the other, but that doesn't mean they don't like to interfere in the war that is still going on. A little tweak here and there. Something small that would get the balance back into their favor, whether light or dark, but not enough to tip the scales too much. If they see something about to happen that will tip the scales, they send an emissary to help stop it. That's why Whistler came to Buffy during the Acathla apocalypse."

"You knew about that?" Xander asked.

"It was the talk of the water cooler," she said. "It has been a few hundred years since they last interfered, however indirectly. It was big news and I was experienced enough to really enjoy the rumor mill."

"What happens when the scales get tipped?" Giles asked.

"That's when true demons can get back in," Anya told them. "And it doesn't really matter which way it tips. Too far in either direction is bad for everyone. If the situation doesn't resolve itself when they send their emissary, they join forces and get involved directly. Usually they just kill everybody and start over with a few thousand humans and demons."

"So not to be all Xander," Tara started, "but what does that have to do with the demons?" Anya glared at the witch but continued.

"So during this great debate the Powers were deciding everything from free will to boundary lines. One of the issues that came up was magic. Back then it was really wild, primal stuff. Stuff that could easily tip the scales. One side was for it, the other against. Eventually it was decided that if they could tame magic they would keep it, but if they couldn't magic would be destroyed. As you can guess since we have two powerful witches sitting here with us, they were able to tame magic. I'm not sure which side tamed it, but in the interest of balance both light and dark received magic and everything that goes with it, including the power of prophecy. Now it gets a little tricky. The light side decided to separate magic and prophecy and spread them both out amongst humanity. More people would have access to them, but the power would be diluted. The dark side did the opposite. They kept magic and prophecy together, endowing them to a single demonic race."

"The Voulard," Giles finished. Anya nodded.

"I don't know why they were picked. They never were the strongest of the bunch, or the smartest, but overnight they became powerful. Only they never embraced their power. They continued to be meek, weaker demons who relied on stronger demons for protection. Eventually they took on the role of advisers to demonic warlords. A role that killed many of them when they had bad news to give."

"But wouldn't that upset the balance?" Albert asked, trying to understand.

"No. Each side was given the same magic and the same amount of magic. They just invested differently. It wasn't something someone did deliberately, which would upset the balance, it was just how things played out. Eventually the Voulard died out, and with it the magic users for the dark. Humanity got a huge jump, which led to the creation of civilization as we know it, and the dark magic users faded into legend."

"But don't demons use magic?" Willow asked. "When you were a Vengeance Demon you used magic."

"A magic amulet," Anya clarified. "Without the amulet I'm as powerless as most mortals. Demons need potions or magical items to use magic. True magic, like Willow and Tara have, are beyond demons."

"Why?" Willow asked eagerly.

"Our magic draws from the natural energies of the Earth," Tara answered. "That's what my mom always told me anyway."

"She's right," Anya agreed. "Humans are able to tap into the natural forces around them. Demons, being unnatural, can't. That's why they need to rely on intermediaries. The Voulard were the only exception, but when they died out the demonic connection to true magic was lost."

"Maybe they didn't die out as much as regroup," Giles thought out loud. "When was the last time they were seen?"

"Well before my time," Anya said.

"They had the power of prophecy as well?" he asked. Anya nodded. "What if they foresaw all of this happening and knew the only way to survive was to disappear until they could affect the changes they wanted."

"Like the Dawn of the Third Age?" Veronica asked. Giles nodded.

"They went into hiding, waiting until the right time to reveal themselves. They created The Ring exclusively to capture the Slayer they needed, then proceeded to impregnate her to collect the children they needed."

"Only something went wrong," Kate said. "They never got the last batch of children. Something happened that they didn't foresee." She pulled out a picture from her folder. "Is this a Voulard demon?"

"I don't know," Anya admitted. "I've never seen one." Andrew peered over her shoulder.

"No," Andrew spoke up. "That's a Gremlark."

"What?" Giles asked him.

"They're tunnel dwellers, living deep underground," he told them. "I summoned one once to see if it could tunnel into the girls locker room. Didn't work out like I thought it would."

"Why?" Anya asked curiously.

"They don't like the surface much," he said, "like at all. They're more sensitive to the sun than even vampires. Any light will burn them, and I mean even a weak flashlight. But they have amazing cities deep underground."

"Perfect for hiding until the right time," Giles said. "Until something went wrong."

"Free will," Joyce said, speaking up for the first time. "Wasn't that what the detective said? If it wasn't for that one informant The Ring would have gone on undiscovered for years? Their entire plan brought down by one person." They were quiet for a moment as they let that sink in. The silence was broken by sound coming from Buffy's monitor. Joyce sighed tiredly and went to get to her feet, but was held down by Willow.

"Let us try," she said, motioning for Xander. "I think it might be some classic three amigos time." Xander nodded and followed his friend up the stairs. They heard their greeting before the monitor was turned off. The silence resumed, only broken by the ringing of the telephone. Giles jumped up to answer, returning a few minutes later.

"That was Wesley," he told them. "The apocalypse in L.A. has been diverted. There were no major casualties on our side, and thanks to Jonathan, Angel did not lose his soul."

"Thank God," Joyce breathed. Although not nearly as protective of the Fang Gang as her own group, she still worried about them, especially at times like these.

"Faith and Daniel are staying a few days to help with the cleanup, then they will return."

"At which time they will need to return to Cleveland," Albert said, officially speaking as the Chancellor of the Watchers Council for the first time since he got here. The power that radiated off him was amazing to watch. It was like night and day from the kindly, older man he had been. "I will make finding these children our top priority, but we cannot let an active Hellmouth remain unguarded. Faith will need to return."

"I understand," Veronica said.

"It seems I have business in L.A. I shall try to stop by before I return to London, if I can." He shook hands with the remaining Scoobies, including Andrew, and held each of the babies close one last time. He turned to his children. "You'll do fine Veronica," he told her, pulling her into a brief hug. "And you Rupert." He turned to his son. "Keep doing what you're doing. You have a fine family." Giles smiled, giving him a firm handshake. Albert turned to Joyce. "You have full Council support, even if your daughter is never able to resume her duties as the Slayer. What you have done here is amazing, nothing short of miraculous, and I would be proud to say I am a part of it in whatever way I can." With that he stormed out the door, Kate following behind him.

"What was that?" Andrew asked.

"Our childhood," Giles and Veronica said together, each of them grinning.

"But at least you got his seal of approval after only a month," Giles said. Veronica nodded. She was about to say more when Willow reappeared.

"She wants you," she said to Joyce. Joyce sighed and again made to stand when Willow held her down for a second time. Willow smiled, looking back at the stairs. Soon Xander was slowly coming down.

"I'm just saying water buffalo are very misunderstood creatures. And who teaches a water buffalo how to swim? Do you think if they can't swim they get downgraded to land buffalos?" He held Buffy tightly in his arms. She was smiling up at him.

"We caught the last few minutes of one of those foreign shows nobody else watches," Willow explained. "Then she was looking for you."

"She asked for me?" Joyce asked, nearly breaking down again.

"Not with actual words," Willow told her, trying hard not to burst her bubble, "but she nodded when we asked about you."

"You gave her a bath and got her dressed?" Joyce asked as Xander finally made it to the bottom of the stairs. Willow shrugged.

"I noticed the bag was almost full," she said shyly. "I wasn't sure if you started her routine or not, but I figured a second bath wouldn't hurt."

"I hadn't started yet," Joyce admitted. Xander had entered the living room. When she heard her mother's voice Buffy began twisting in his arms, looking for her.

"Whoa," Xander cautioned as she almost twisted out of his grip. He moved closer to Joyce, who reached for her daughter. Xander found himself being pulled onto the couch when Buffy reached for her mother and caused the pair to overbalance.

"Xander?" Joyce asked, as she repositioned her daughter.

"I'm okay," he said, straightening himself, though one of his arms was trapped behind Buffy. He wasn't in any hurry to move it. Willow quickly plopped down on Xander's other side, snuggling into her best friend. "Ah, my two favorite girls," he said dreamily, only to look up abruptly at the small, discreet cough. "Who have nothing on my incredibly understanding wife who will not castrate me for this. I'm the victim here. They jumped me."

"Well then I'm going to snuggle up with someone too," Anya declared. "And we'll see how you like it." With that she jumped onto Joyce's other side. Joyce automatically put her arm around the young woman and Anya sighed. "This is nice," she said, all the traces of anger gone from her voice.

"What just happened?" Xander asked, wincing when the arm trapped by Buffy began to hurt.

"I'm not sure," Giles told him, looking on in confusion.

"You're never too old for a snuggle," Joyce said, pulling her daughter closer so Xander could remove his arm. He smiled in relief. "Is that Mr. Gordo?"

"Yeah," he told her. "She wouldn't let go of him. We figured it would be okay for him to come down too."

"It's fine," she said, yawning loudly. Giles found the remote and flicked through channels until he could find something mildly entertaining. He knew he, Joyce, and Buffy wouldn't last long. "Stop." Joyce commanded. He did as he was told.

"Passions?" he asked, recognizing the daytime soap easily.

"It's a good show," she said. He was about to retort when she added, "and it has someone captivated." He looked over and watched Buffy. She was curled into her mother's arm, her head on her chest, but her eyes were focused on the television screen with an intensity that was usually reserved for boys and shoes.

"It is a good show," he reluctantly agreed. Willow lifted her head off Xander's shoulders, looking at him like he lost his mind, but stayed quiet when she saw Buffy's attention. He passed the remote off to the redhead and sat down in one of the chairs, nearly falling asleep as soon as he was sitting.

"I think the twins need their nap," Tara said, using the children as an excuse to flee the room. Andrew and Veronica followed her closely. As Giles predicted, he, Joyce, and Buffy were asleep before the first set of commercials. Xander and Anya soon followed, and Willow was content to doze until she heard the door open. Everyone woke up at the unnatural sound. Everyone except for Buffy.

"Oh my God," Dawn said quietly as she entered the room. "What happened here? Did you all drink the Kool-Aid or something?"

"Nightmares," Willow told her, the only one to wake up enough to answer her questions. "Really bad nightmares."

"Is she okay?" Dawn asked quietly, moving closer to the couch.

"For now," Joyce said sleepily, forcing her eyes open. "How was your trip?"

"It was okay," she shrugged, but her eyes told a different story. Her eyes lit up in excitement.

"Why don't I make us some lunch and you can tell me all about it?" she suggested, stretching her arms above her head. Anya moved from her side, snuggling deeper into the couch cushions while Xander woke up enough to gently coax Buffy to his side. Dawn followed her mother into the kitchen, where she told her all about her camping trip. They couldn't hear exactly what she said from the living room, but they could tell by the tone of her voice she had fun. By the time her story was finished Joyce had prepared soup and sandwiches for everybody. She decided to break one of her house rules by bringing the meal into the living room. Dawn placed the tray of sandwiches on the coffee table before heading upstairs to get Tara the others. Joyce followed with a tray full of mugs of soup.

"We're not relocating to the dining room?" Xander asked, as he awkwardly shifted Buffy in his arms.

"To tired," she said as she passed out mugs of soup. "But don't get used to it." She prepared to take Buffy back into her arms when Xander frowned. "What is it?"

"She's warm," he said, frowning. Joyce quickly put her mug on the table and reached for Buffy, feeling her forehead and cheeks with the back of her hand.

"You're right," she said after a minute. She looked to Giles, who quickly ducked out of the room only to return a minute later with the thermometer. He quickly slid the small tube under her tongue.

"Ninety-nine," he said after a few minutes. "A tad warm but not too high."

"Maybe it's just stress?" Willow asked. "The last few days have been really bad."

"Perhaps," Giles said reluctantly. "I'll call Ben and ask his opinion." Joyce nodded as she reached over and picked up her soup before once again settling Buffy at her side. Buffy woke up at the jostling, giving her mother a smile.

"Hey baby," she smiled back as she slowly drank her soup. Buffy watched her curiously, her hand coming up to the mug. Joyce quickly moved it out of the way. "It's a bit too hot right now," she said as she held it away. Buffy nodded and dropped her hand, but kept her eyes on the mug. After a few minutes Joyce brought the mug back, taking a sip of the still too hot liquid. "Not yet," she instructed, feeling Buffy's hand rise.

"Try this," Dawn said, returning to the room with a cup half filled with water. Joyce nodded, switching out the cups. Buffy didn't notice, her hand rising again when Joyce took a sip of the cool water. She let Buffy feel the cup, only stopping her when she went to put her fingers in the water.

"You want to try?" she asked. Buffy's hand stopped, her whole body going rigid. She glanced between her mother and the glass. Joyce wondered if she had pushed too far and was about to pass the glass off to Dawn when Buffy nodded.

"We don't have to," she told her. Buffy's face slowly changed from scared to determined as she nodded her head. "We can stop anytime," Joyce told her. "Just squeeze my hand if you want to stop." Buffy nodded again as both her hands came up, encircling her mother's hand as it gripped the glass. "Just lean against me," she instructed her daughter, "and open your mouth. I'll do all the work." Buffy did as she was asked and a few seconds later Joyce poured a tiny amount of water into her mouth. She immediately started chocking, not quite sure what to do with it once it was in her mouth. She instinctively swallowed, but not before most of the water escaped down her chin.

"Here." Giles handed Joyce as small towel and she quickly wiped up the water that had spilled.

"Not bad for your first try," she said once Buffy relaxed against her once again. "It reminds me of another time I helped you drink water. You had the same reaction then." She went to put the cup down, but Buffy squeezed her hand. "You want to try again?" she asked. Buffy nodded, leaning back against her and opening her mouth slightly. Joyce again poured a small amount of water into her mouth. Again she choked before she was able to swallow, but she was more successful this time, only a few drops escaped her mouth. Joyce raised the cup once more, but Buffy squeezed her hands. "You want more?" she asked. Buffy shook her head, letting her hands fall tiredly. Joyce nodded and handed the cup off to Dawn. "I'm so proud of you baby." Buffy smiled as she reached for Mr. Gordo. She leaned back against her mother, cradling the toy carefully. She put her head on her mother's chest, and closed her eyes. The group settled down for a quiet day.


	22. Chapter 22

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"I'm back," Joyce called when she got back the next evening. This was the first time for almost a month that the group that returned from the shops headed to their own houses instead of congregating at hers. Joyce smiled as she realized that meant everything was finally getting back to normal. Though she would miss them, their constant presence was getting a bit stifling. "Dawn?"

"Out back," she called. Joyce headed through the kitchen and onto the large porch. The porch covered the entire length of the building and was perfect for outdoor entertaining. She could see all the other homes from there, the other houses forming a small circle with her home at the apex

"Hey," she greeted Dawn, who was sitting in one of the recliners. Buffy's wheelchair was on the porch, but Buffy herself was sprawled out in the large grassy area between the houses, her hands floating over the grass as she basked in the late afternoon sun. Joyce sat down beside her. "How was today?"

"Good," Dawn told her. "She mostly slept. I think her temperature is higher though." Joyce frowned, eyeing her daughter.

"How long has she been out here?" she asked. Buffy didn't seem particularly upset, instead she seemed to be enjoying the outdoors.

"Ten minutes or so," she said. "She kept looking out the window. I wasn't sure if she was looking for you or wanted to come outside."

"She seems happy," Joyce commented, leaning against the back of Dawn's recliner. "The twins?"

"Andrew's with them," she said absently, gesturing wildly with a hand. "He's reading them fairytales from the Star Wars Universe. I didn't even know they had fairytales."

"Hmm," Joyce frowned, glancing up at the window she knew was the nursery. "Maybe I'll go and check on them before I start dinner." She left before Dawn could agree or disagree. The brunette sighed, sitting back as she watched her sister. Buffy had stopped feeling the grass and instead was absently trying to pull up the small blades. She wasn't having much luck though. She just didn't have enough coordination to succeed. Dawn smiled as she stretched out her long body, eyes closing briefly as she enjoyed the sunshine.

"Dinner's almost ready," Joyce said as she rejoined them about thirty minutes later. "Do you need help with her?" Dawn shook her head.

"I got it," Dawn said, getting to her feet and stretching. She went down the few steps to the grass, sitting down quietly next to her sister. Joyce watched from the porch. "Buffy?" she said quietly, reaching out to grab a hand. Buffy squeezed softly, but gave no other indication she heard Dawn. "It's time to go in." At that Buffy reacted, opening her eyes and turning her head in Dawn's direction. Her eyes were full of resignation. "We can come back outside tomorrow," Dawn said as she pulled Buffy into a sitting position. Buffy nodded as she lifted her arms around Dawn's neck. She leaned against her sister as Dawn snaked an arm under her knees and lifted. She easily lifted Buffy into her arms and walked back to the porch. Joyce was waiting for them by the steps. She already had the wheelchair into position.

"Whoa," Joyce cried out when Dawn put Buffy into the chair. Buffy almost slid out as Dawn was getting her legs into position. Joyce reached out to steady her daughter as Dawn gave her a quick glance.

"She's not to steady right now," Dawn said as she finally got Buffy's legs straightened and her feet in the footrests. She reached for the strap and quickly secured Buffy around her waist. "I think it's because she's sick right now. Think we'll need the other one?" She stared at a second strap before looking at her mother.

"Maybe," she said, taking her hand off Buffy's shoulder. Buffy was steady for about ten seconds before she started to tilt to the right. Dawn sighed and reached for the second strap. It came underneath her arms and around her chest. Once it was buckled Buffy was able to stay upright, though it was obvious it was because the strap was keeping her in place. Joyce frowned again as she moved to brush Buffy's bangs back and felt the heat radiating from her. She shared a glance with Dawn before she led the way into the kitchen. Dawn pushed Buffy into place at the table while Joyce grabbed the thermometer. Buffy protested, but finally allowed her mother to push the thermometer under her tongue while Dawn set the table.

"Well?" Dawn asked after a few minutes when Joyce pulled the thermometer out.

"101.3," Joyce read as she put the thermometer back into its case. "She officially has a fever now."

"What did Ben say when Giles called him?" Dawn asked as she helped her mom bring over dinner from the kitchen.

"He said to keep an eye on it. We can crush up a couple of aspirin and add it to her dinner or to her water. Speaking of water how did that go?" Dawn shook her head.

"Badly comes to mind," she admitted, "but it could have been worse. She didn't fight me or anything, she just refused to drink." Joyce nodded, expecting that reaction. Eventually Buffy would come around.

"So we'll just keep an eye on her. Ben said if the fever lasts longer than a week or if it spikes to bring her in." Dawn nodded, expecting that answer. There just wasn't much you could do for someone in Buffy's condition. "He did say if we thought she was getting dehydrated we could keep the IV in all day, instead of just going through that one bag every night."

"I don't think it's that bad," Dawn said as Andrew brought down the twins. Dawn immediately went to hold one while Joyce grabbed the other one. This left Andrew free to get their swings ready. "Especially since you can get her to drink water now."

"I'll try after dinner," she said as Andrew brought in the swings. They carefully put the babies down before turning to their dinner.

"Ooh. Tacos," he said, helping himself to a big plate.

"Andrew?" Joyce said carefully as she made a small plate for herself. "Have you thought about what you want to do now?"

"Well after dinner I'm going to finish the tale of 3PO," he said, obviously missing the point. "We got to the point where he gets his golden casing, but there's so much more that goes on in his life after that. It's not fair to expect the twins to understand the movies without knowing the backstory."

"No," she interrupted him before he could fill them in on the backstory. "I'm not talking about right now as in after dinner. I'm talking about the rest of your life. What do you want to do with the rest of your life?"

"Oh," he said surprised, as if he hadn't really thought about what to do next. Joyce realized he probably hadn't.

"Do you want to go back to Cleveland?" she asked gently. He shrugged.

"I really didn't like it there," he said. "Too cold."

"But what about your things?" Dawn asked, seeing where her mother was heading and trying to help. "Don't you miss all your stuff?"

"Kinda," he admitted, looking down at his plate. "But I kinda like having friends more than my stuff?"

"Don't you have any friends?" Dawn blurted out before thinking. Joyce rolled her eyes, knowing what his answer would be.

"Not until Warren comes back," he said quietly. Dawn and Joyce looked at each other. Joyce rose and rounded the table until she was next to the strange young man.

"You know that will be a long time," she told him, kindly. "If he ever comes back."

"He will," Andrew said. He tried to sound certain, but his eyes betrayed his fears. "He said he'd never leave me."

"Andrew," Joyce sighed, but it was enough to break through his barriers. He erupted into tears and Joyce pulled him into a hug.

"I don't want to go," he managed to get out between sobs. "Please don't make me leave."

"Oh Andrew," she said, holding him close. She patted his back awkwardly, trying to help him calm down. "I won't make you leave until you're ready." She held him until he got himself back under control.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to go up to my room," he said, refusing to look up.

"Of course," Joyce started, but he was out of the room before she finished speaking. She sighed, looking over to her daughter. "He has a room?" Dawn nodded.

"He kinda adopted one of the guest rooms," she said between bites. Joyce returned to her dinner.

"When did that happen?" she asked as she returned to her own dinner. "Why am I only now finding out about it?"

"You had other priorities," Dawn said, looking at her sister. Buffy was still in her chair, although she seemed to be half asleep. "He's a very strange young man. It's hard to believe he was an evil genius who tried to kill Faith."

"Yeah," Joyce agreed halfheartedly. He certainly didn't look or act like he was evil, but then most people looked normal until they had a knife in your back. "Dawn?" she said suddenly. "He has never done or said anything that has made you uncomfortable has he?"

"What?" Dawn asked, needing a few minutes to understand what her mom was asking her. "No. He says some weird stuff sometimes, but nothing that has made me uncomfortable. Besides, do you think Spike would let him stay here if he thought there was any chance Andrew would hurt any one of us?"

"You're right," she said, taking another bite of her dinner. "I just don't know what to make of him. And I really don't know what to do about him."

"Let him stay," Dawn suggested. "At least until Faith and Daniel return. Maybe when Jonathan gets back they'll want to head somewhere else together?"

"Maybe," Joyce shrugged as Billy started crying. She rose to get the boy while Dawn went into the kitchen to warm up a bottle. "It's okay little man," she cooed as she settled him in her arms. He smiled up at her and she realized she had missed this. "You've been spending all your time with everyone but Mommy," she told the infant, tripping on the last word.

"Mom?" Dawn asked as she held out a bottle. Knowing Alex would be getting hungry soon she went ahead and warmed up two. She went back to the table, placing the second bottle by her own drink as she started eating again. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said haltingly, her gaze leaving Billy and landing on Buffy. "It's just the first time I've referred to myself as Mommy." She expected to find some sort of accusation in the eyes of her daughter, but Buffy was just as she left her, half asleep in her chair, the straps the only thing keeping her upright.

"It's weird isn't it?" Dawn asked. Joyce nodded. Albert had given her the papers before he left. She was now officially a mother again, but until now that hadn't really set in. Dawn finished her plate and was preparing to take the dirty dishes into the kitchen. "Should I get Buffy's dinner?" Joyce nodded and Dawn returned seconds later.

"Do you want to switch?" Joyce asked. She knew Dawn and the others knew how to feed Buffy, they even practiced on some unconnected feeding tubes in the hospital, but knowing and doing were two different things.

"I got it," she said, as she checked the bottle. She moved to her sister, then glanced at her mother uncertainly. "Does she need to be laying down for this?" she asked.

"No," Joyce told her. Dawn nodded and began gently tugging up the hem of Buffy's shirt until the feeding tube was revealed. Buffy opened her eyes at the slight jostling. She gave Dawn a small smile before closing her eyes again. Dawn quickly attached the bottle and fed her sister, finishing just as Billy was finishing with his bottle. "Two down," Joyce said as she caught the burping rag Dawn threw at her and started burping the baby. She expertly finished her dinner while Billy rested against her shoulder.

"How can you eat and burp him at the same time?" Dawn asked when she finished putting all of Buffy's supplies away. Joyce smiled at her.

"Practice," she said simply. Dawn sighed as she took Billy and placed him back in his swing.

"Do you think we should try and get some water in Buffy or just let her sleep?" Dawn asked quietly.

"Buffy?" Joyce called quietly, seeing how asleep her oldest was. She reached out and brushed her bangs of her forehead, checking her temperature as she moved her head into a more comfortable position. Buffy opened her eyes slightly, trying to focus on her mother. Joyce looked back to Dawn. "She needs to drink as much as she can. Can you get me a glass of water from the kitchen?" Dawn nodded.

"Do you want me to crush a couple aspirin into it?" she asked.

"If you didn't add any to her dinner," Joyce said. Dawn nodded and left for the kitchen. Joyce returned her gaze to Buffy, who was still struggling to focus on her. "It will be okay Buffy," she soothed as she gently ran her fingers through her hair. "This will help," she said, once Dawn returned with the water. Buffy obediently opened her mouth and let some water trickle in. She swallowed as best she could, but some still trickled onto her chin. "It's okay," Joyce soothed, pulling the burping rag off her shoulder and using it to wipe away the water. Alex chose that time to start crying. Dawn rushed off to her while Joyce coaxed sip after sip of water into Buffy.

"Mom?" Dawn called out, disrupting her concentration. She belatedly realized Alex was still crying, despite the bottle being there and Dawn doing everything she could think of to calm the baby down.

"One second," she told her daughter, "let me get one more sip down." But it soon became apparent she had lost Buffy's attention when she looked away and would not be able to get it back. She sighed, glancing at the nearly full cup she still had, before standing and heading to her daughter. "It's okay," she said as she put the cup on the table and reached for Alex. Dawn readily gave her up. Joyce began rocking her gently. "It's okay. Mommy's here." Slowly Alex began to quiet down, staring up at Joyce calmly.

"Great," Dawn said resignedly as Joyce settled down in her chair to feed the baby. "Another Summers girl that will only work with you."

"Dawn?" Joyce questioned softly even as she reached for the bottle and began feeding Alex. "What is that supposed to mean?" Dawn sighed.

"It's nothing," she said. "Are you done with your plate?" she asked before Joyce could question her again. Joyce nodded and Dawn quickly gathered the dirty plates and dumped the in the kitchen. She then grabbed the leftover food and began boxing it up. She was filling up the sink to do the dishes when she heard her mother come up behind her.

"Dawn? What's wrong?" She turned, seeing Alex almost asleep on her mother's shoulders before bursting into tears.

"It's nothing," she somehow managed to get out before turning back to the sink and starting on the dishes. Joyce left only to return a minute later and help her with the dishes. She didn't speak, instead giving Dawn time to get herself back under control. When she did she turned to her mother. "It's stupid."

"It's never stupid," Joyce said while keeping her attention on the dishes. They worked silently for a few minutes before Dawn spoke up.

"It's just old insecurities raising their ugly heads," she said quietly. Joyce nodded.

"I understand," she said, glancing at her youngest daughter briefly before refocusing on the dishes. "I have a few of those every now and then."

"How do you deal with them?" Dawn asked, giving her mother her full attention since she started washing dishes. Joyce turned to her for the first time too.

"Talking always helps," she said kindly. "I promise you can tell me anything." Dawn nodded, turning back to the last of the dishes.

"You know I've always questioned my place in this family," she started. Joyce remained quiet, not wanting to scare her. "The monks placed me here to protect me, but after Glory was defeated I wasn't sure if I really belonged." Joyce nodded quietly. She had helped her daughter with this very issue once they discovered her true origins and a few times since then.

"You know we love you," she said, giving Dawn a quick glance before returning to the dishes. "It doesn't matter to us where you came from. You're a part of this family now, for better or worse."

"I know," she acknowledged as she finally ran out of dishes to wash. She watched her mother rinse the last few dishes before pulling the stopper on the sinks. She watched the water slowly drain as she struggled to put her feelings into words. "I know you love me, and I love you, but after we lost Buffy some part of me wondered if you only kept me around because I was made from Buffy. I was this last little piece of her that you could still hold and protect."

"Dawn, that's ridiculous," Joyce scoffed. "We love you for who you are."

"I know," she said, turning to face her mother, "but there was always some little part of me that thought that. And as the years went by that part got smaller and smaller but then Buffy came back and she had kids for you to protect and love and suddenly I'm wondering if I'm really wanted again." She didn't realize she had started crying until Joyce pulled her into a fierce hug.

"You are always wanted," she said, tears streaming down her face and landing on Dawn's shoulder. "It doesn't matter how many new children we get or how many Scoobies come and go. You will always have a place here with me."

"Thanks Mom," Dawn said breathlessly. Joyce hugged her once more before letting her pull away. "I told you it was stupid," Dawn said, self-consciously rubbing at her eyes.

"What brought this on?" Joyce asked, her hand brushing through Dawn's long hair.

"You called yourself their mommy," Dawn said, gesturing to the twins. "I know we talked about this, and I know it's in the best interest of everyone, but when you said that all I could think of was you never called yourself mommy to me."

"I did," she protested, only to remind herself all those early times with Dawn was nothing more than fake memories. Dawn smiled gently at her, knowing what she was thinking. "I'm sorry baby," she said softly, pulling Dawn back into a gentle hug. "It's okay. Mommy's here. Mommy will make everything alright." She held Dawn tightly.

"It's not as comforting when you're not in diapers," Dawn said suddenly, causing both of them to laugh. Dawn pulled away, rubbing at tear stained cheeks.

"I am sorry," Joyce said sincerely. "I didn't realize how much this bothered you."

"I didn't either, until just now," Dawn admitted. "I guess I've always been afraid that you would find something new and kick me to the curb. And now that you have."

"We will never abandon you," she said again, smiling gently. "No matter how much you might want us to." Dawn smiled at that before they picked up dishtowels and began drying the dishes. "You know what we need? A mother daughter day."

"Really?" Dawn asked, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Really. When was the last time we did something? Just you and me?" Dawn shrugged her shoulders. "It's settled then. Tomorrow you and I are going to make a day. We'll go to the movies or shopping. Whatever you want?"

"What about The Gallery?" Dawn asked. "Or Buffy and the kids?"

"Tara can handle The Gallery without me and we'll get someone to watch the kids." Dawn nodded, knowing it would be easy to get one of the gang to help. "You just be thinking about what you want to do tomorrow."

"Great," she said, sounding more like herself. She helped her mother get the twins to bed before helping with Buffy, all the while thinking of what she wanted to do tomorrow with her mother.


	23. Chapter 23

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Hey guys," Willow greeted when they made their way into The Magic Box late the next afternoon. "How was mother daughter bonding time?"

"Great," Dawn said as she made her way to the table. Joyce followed her more slowly. "The movie was kinda lame, but the mall food was surprisingly yummy."

"Don't forget the shopping," Joyce said as she took a seat next to her daughter.

"Oh my God," Dawn gushed. "The shopping was amazing. They were having a sale so I was able to get the shoes and the matching purse."

"Sounds like you two had fun," Giles said, coming back to the table after helping a customer.

"We did," Joyce confirmed, hugging Dawn slightly. "So what did you guys do all day?" she asked, seeing Giles and Veronica at the research table with the two Codex books surrounded by pads of paper with various writings on them.

"We're still trying to translate this," Veronica said, gesturing to the larger book. "None of the known languages we have tried seem to work. We've started on dead languages, but so far haven't had much luck with those either."

"We think the smaller one was already translated before it was smuggled out of the Voulard's grasp," Giles said, rubbing his eyes wearily. Dawn curiously pulled the larger book closer to her.

"Giles?" she asked, as she thumbed through the various pages. "I thought you said this book was in some different language."

"It is," he said, not looking up.

"And on the seventh day of the seventh moon man shall call upon the demon Balthezar. And he shall reign in terror for seven years until a daughter is Called. And they shall meet on the fields of fear and the daughter will be victorious, though neither will walk away," she read. Giles looked up.

"Did you just read that?" he asked, hastily putting his glasses back on. Veronica rushed to Dawn's other side, almost pushing Joyce out of the way.

"Yeah," Dawn said. "It's written in this newfangled language called English."

"No it's not," Veronica said. "I can't make heads or tails of this." She looked back at Dawn. "Where did you start reading?" Dawn pointed to the page, this time with Giles looking over her shoulder.

"And you can read this?" Giles asked.

"Yeah," Dawn rolled her eyes, flipping the pages a bit until she found something that sounded interesting. "And there will come a time of great unrest, when man shall rise up against their Kings, and the daughter Called shall stand beside them on the gallows. And the next daughter Called shall look upon her own hand and see blood. And the ones that watch shall take her and heal her but it will not be enough. And she will be full of grief. And she will flee and perish under her grief." Dawn looked up. "That's certainly cheerful."

"And unfortunately true," Giles said, reaching for the smaller Codex and rifling through it. "That passage refers to an event that actually did take place. During the French Revolution, the Slayer at that time was actually a member of the upper class and was caught up in the reign of terror. She was beheaded during a mass killing spree by the commoners, along with her Watcher as well as several other upper class families." He found the passage he was looking for and laid the book next to the larger one. "The Slayer called after her was actually in the mob that killed them. The Watchers found her and took her away, but it was too late. Her grief consumed her. One night she snuck out. They found her body the next morning, barely recognizable."

"Eww," Dawn said, pushing the books away from her before facing Giles. "Are you saying you can't read this?" He shook his head. Dawn turned back to the pages, flipping through them at random. "Hey," she said, pointing to a page. "I can't read this. It's all squiggly lines and weird symbols."

"That's what we've all been seeing," Giles said, retaking his chair and leaning back thoughtfully. Willow and Tara joined the group at the table. Willow picked up the book.

"It has powerful magic," she said, handing the book to Tara.

"But it's different from ours," she frowned as she put the book down. "It feels more primal. Older."

"That would make sense if it was Voulard magic as Anya suggested," Veronica said. "But why can Dawn read it?"

"Maybe because I'm more primal," she suggested. "Older." She glanced at Giles. "What if this book is reacting to me because it senses a common element? We're both almost as old as time itself?"

"And it's revealing itself to you as it would to those who wrote it?" Giles sighed. "That actually makes sense and is a good way to safeguard the knowledge."

"Then why can't I read every page?" Dawn asked.

"I assume because you are not a Voulard demon," Giles said. "You're close enough to trick the book, but it will only reveal the prophesies that have already come to pass. They must have some other spell or protection to show the prophesies that have not come to be yet."

"So I can help you with this?" Dawn's eyes lit up. "Something that I can do that no one else can?" She turned to her mother. "Please let me help with this one?" Joyce sighed.

"It's your summer vacation. You can do whatever you want." Dawn cheered as she and Giles pushed everything away from them as they focused on the larger Codex.

"Do I want to know why Dawn is primal and as old as time itself?" Veronica asked, stepping back when one of the pads landed on her foot.

"Not really," Joyce said as she backed away to the door. "I think Dawn is set for a bit. Can you make sure she gets home safely?" She threw the question to Giles, but he was too absorbed in this latest breakthrough so she looked to Anya instead.

"We won't forget her," Anya said cheerfully. Joyce sighed, but turned for the door, surprised when Veronica joined her.

"I don't know how you do it," Veronica admitted as they walked slowly to the car. "I was raised with the supernatural, but I continually find myself inundated with information to the point where I feel like I can't breathe. And here you are, finding yourself suddenly thrust into a world of monsters and you handle everything that comes your way." Joyce laughed.

"Not always," she said. "When Buffy first came to me I had her committed. The second time, I saw my daughter dust a vampire right before my eyes and I threw her out of the house, trying to scare her straight. I hated the myself as soon as the words left my mouth. I never thought she would actually go, but she did. For the longest three months of my life I didn't know where she was or even if she was alive." She looked up at the older woman. "I deal with whatever comes our way now because I've lived the Hell of not knowing and I never want to go back there again."

"But what about the last four years?" Veronica asked. She saw Joyce's face pale and immediately looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to,"

"No," Joyce interrupted. "It's okay." She took a slow, steadying breath. "The last four years have been Hell, but at least I knew why. I knew every time she walked out that door she might not come back. It didn't make me worry any less, but at least I knew. When she didn't make it home that fateful night four years ago, I knew something bad had happened. I just didn't realize how bad."

"I'm sorry," Veronica said, putting a supportive hand on her arm. "I didn't realize how upsetting this would be for the families."

"You can't imagine," Joyce smiled sadly. "But you will experience it. When this all calms down and you take Faith back to Cleveland. Night after night you'll send her out, knowing she'll be fighting for her life and hoping she survives to make it back. Then one day she won't." Joyce blinked furiously to clear the tears from her eyes.

"I don't know if I'll be able to deal with being Faith's Watcher," she said, looking down at her feet. "I didn't think it would be anything like this. I'm one of the best researchers the Council has, but none of that knowledge has proven helpful here. My younger brother, the disgrace of our family, has everything under control while I can barely remember how to kill a Fyarl demon." Joyce laughed.

"Beheadings are always a good starting point," she said, trying to make the older woman laugh. It worked slightly. "The thing about Faith is she doesn't need a traditional Watcher. What she needs, whether she'll admit it or not, is a friend."

"A friend," Veronica repeated. "I think I can do that."

"Good," Joyce said as she opened up the door and climbed into the car. "I'm going to head home. Want a lift?"

"No thank you," Veronica told her. "I think I'll stay around here a little longer. See if I can help in any way." Joyce smiled as she drove away. Fifteen minutes later she arrived at her home.

"Xander?" she called out as she hung up her keys. Silence greeted her. "Anybody home?" she called as she moved from the entryway into the living room. She turned when she saw Andrew coming down the stairs. "Andrew? Where is everybody?"

"I have the twins in the nursery," he said excitedly. "We're learning about the early years of Starfleet and the Prime Directive."

"Where's Xander?" she asked, interrupting what she knew would be a very boring explanation of whatever he was trying to teach the twins.

"Oh," he said, looking slightly hurt but bouncing back like she knew he would. "Xander left a message for you. He said to tell you he was taking Buffy back to the hospital."

"What?" Joyce screamed, running up the stairs and into Buffy's room. Her wheelchair was at the foot of her bed, but she was nowhere to be seen. "When did he leave?" she asked, running back down the stairs.

"About twenty minutes ago," Andrew said as she grabbed her keys. "He saw something he didn't like and called Ben and Ben said to bring her in right away. Then he said I was to tell the first person I saw what happened and watch the kids." Joyce nodded absently as she raced back to the car. She made the trip in a daze, barely noticing what she was doing or where she was until she parked next to Xander's car in the hospital parking lot. She ran through the doors, only to almost literally run into Xander who was using the pay phone at the end of the lobby.

"Joyce?" he called. She focused on him, trying to get her breathing back into some semblance of normal. "She's here," he said into the phone. "Thanks Will."

"What happened?" she demanded as soon as he hung up the phone.

"Calm down," he said as he led her into the waiting room. "Deep breaths."

"Xander!" she yelled, but tried to do what he said. Soon she found herself calming down and able to focus on him properly. "Xander?" she asked again. This time he answered.

"Everything was fine. We had just finished giving the twin their lunch and put them down for a nap. I joined Buffy in her room and we just watched some TV, but her fever kept getting worse. I tried to cool her down with a sponge bath. That's when I noticed something in the ostomy bag."

"What?" Joyce asked breathlessly.

"Blood," Xander quietly answered. "I called Ben and he said to bring her in right away. I wanted to call you but I had no idea where you were. I left a message with Andrew then put Buffy in the car and drove here." He closed his eyes tightly.

"Xander?" Joyce asked, gripping his arm. "Tell me."

"She started having a seizure as we pulled up," he admitted. "Luckily Ben was waiting for us with some orderlies. They took her in immediately and I've been trying to get a hold of you ever since." She pulled him into a hug as they both started crying. They pulled apart a minute later as the rest of the Scoobies ran in the door.

"Mom?" Dawn asked as she ran into her mother's arms.

"I'm here," she said, hugging her daughter tight. Anya threw herself into Xander's arms while Willow and Tara held each other silently.

"What happened?" Willow asked. Xander quickly recounted his story.

"Ben said he would talk with us as soon as he knows something," Xander added at the end. The group nodded, slowly taking seats throughout the room. It seemed like hours before Ben walked in. Joyce noticed him first, jumping to her feet which alerted everybody else.

"She's stable," he said before they could ask him. "She's running a high fever, but she is responding to antibiotics. We are monitoring her very closely."

"She was seizing?" Tara asked. Ben nodded.

"Her seizing was due to her high fever. It spiked shortly after she arrived. We've managed to lower it, but it is still dangerously high."

"What about the blood?" Joyce asked.

"There is a fairly significant amount of blood in her urine," Ben confirmed. "We are currently running tests to try to determine the cause."

"Can I see her?" Joyce asked. Ben shook his head.

"We're still running some tests," he told her. "Once we get her settled I'll see what I can do." He turned to the group. "Is there anything different I need to know?" he asked them.

"No," Giles said. "The bounty is gone. There haven't been any attacks for weeks now."

"And both crystals were clear," Xander added. "I checked before I brought her here." Ben nodded.

"I have to get back. I'll let you know as soon as I find out something." They nodded, resuming their places in the waiting room. Time passed slowly. Someone went for coffee, which gave them something to hold on to besides each other. Talk was sporadic and met with silence. They watched as other people came and went and still they knew nothing. Finally, Ben returned.

"What's the what Doc?" Xander asked, the first one to notice his arrival. Ben frowned at them, studying the papers in his hand carefully before turning to the group. His eyes sought out Joyce, who immediately moved to the front.

"She's still stable," he told her first, "and she's responding well to treatments. We're getting her settled right now."

"When can I see her?" Joyce all but begged.

"I'll take you to her," he said, motioning everybody to follow him. He led them through the hallways to a different part of the hospital then before. Joyce paled when Ben pushed past the doors marked ICU. He led them past empty cubicles until they reached the last bed. "Only two visitors at a time," he told them, "and only for five minutes." Joyce nodded and she and Dawn quietly walked into the room. The others watched from behind the glass partition. They could see Buffy, her petite form looked even smaller lying in the hospital bed. A blue cooling blanket covered her frail form and they could see ice packs strategically placed around her. Several IV's, one including blood, ran into her arms. Wires raced underneath the blanket, leading to the various pads they knew were attached to her body while an oxygen mask covered her face.

Joyce fell to her knees when she reached her bedside. Dawn put her shaking hands on her mother's shoulders. They watched as the two women spoke softly to Buffy until finally Joyce uncovered one of Buffy's hands. She gripped it tightly before bringing it up to her lips and kissing it softly. She caressed her daughter's sweaty forehead before stepping back out into the hallway.

Giles went in next, followed by Willow and Tara and lastly Xander and Anya. Once everyone had a few minutes with her Ben led them into another waiting room. "What's wrong with her?" Joyce asked as soon as Ben shut the door.

"Her preliminary blood work shows a number of bacterial infections," Ben said, frowning slightly, "but they are relatively common bacteria."

"Wait," Xander held up his hand, stopping Ben's explanation. "Are you saying that Buffy has a common cold?"

"Several colds in fact," Ben explained. "But yes. We have her on antibiotics, which are helping, but not nearly as much as I hoped. It's almost as if her immune system has stopped working."

"Why?" Joyce asked in a quiet voice. "Does she have…"

"No," Ben quickly reassured her. "Mercy General in New York did a thorough screening of all rescued victims for sexually transmitted diseases. All of Buffy's results were negative. We also performed the tests when she was first transferred her, and again this afternoon. All negative."

"Oh thank God," Joyce said, sinking to a chair in relief. Giles frowned.

"Then why is her immune system not working?" Ben shook his head.

"We're still trying to figure that out. I was hoping you would say it was some demon or spell that was affecting her."

"For once I wish it was," Giles said, cleaning his glasses with gusto. Ben nodded.

"We're still running tests. We'll know more in the morning," he said with such confidence they almost believed him. "Until then I suggest you all go home and try to sleep."

"Can I stay?" Joyce asked. Ben studied her for a moment.

"You can stay," he finally said, "but only if you promise to stay out of our way."

"I promise," she said quickly. She gave everyone a quick hug as they slowly made their way out of the hospital. They promised to be back early the next morning and bring some breakfast for her. She smiled as she settled in for a long night.

* * *

"We come bearing gifts," Xander said as the group made their way into the waiting room the next morning. Giles held up a bag of food as they gently woke up Joyce, who was sleeping in one of the chairs outside the room.

"Thank you Xander," she said as she slowly stretched out kinked muscles. "This smells delicious," she said as they led her back into the waiting room. She sat down on one of the chairs and slowly opened the bag. "Andrew?" she asked. Tara nodded.

"He wanted to do something to help," she said.

"Isn't he watching the twins?" Joyce asked, realizing she wasn't as concerned with that thought as she thought she would be.

"He is," Anya admitted unhappily. "Just because he doesn't actually have to work like the rest of us he gets to play with the babies all day long." Joyce laughed.

"You won't think that if you ever have one of your own," she said as she ate the food he made her. "You'll beg someone to watch them for a day just so you can have some peace and quiet."

"Maybe," Anya admitted before looking at her watch. "Well I need to go open up the Magic Box."

"And I'll take care of The Gallery," Tara added.

"And I need to go to the site," Xander reluctantly added. Willow looked at her.

"I can stay if you want." Joyce smiled at her.

"Why don't you go help at the shops?" she suggested. "We're just waiting for test results right now anyway."

"If you're sure," Willow said uncertainly. Joyce nodded. "Okay. But if you need anything just call. And we'll be back later for a good long sit in." The four Scoobies reluctantly left the hospital, taking a protesting Dawn with them, leaving Giles and Joyce alone.

"How was last night?" Giles asked. Joyce picked listlessly at her food.

"She had another seizure," she admitted. "Her fever spiked again and they had to use an ice bath to cool her down. That was around 4 A.M. Thankfully she has been sleeping quietly since then, even though her temperature is still rising." Giles closed his eyes tightly.

"Willow and Tara did a spell to see if anything magical was making Buffy sick," he told her, "and Spike did the rounds at the demon bars to see if there were any new players in town that were attacking her. Both yielded no results. If someone is doing this to Buffy, they're keeping quiet about it.?"

"The Council?" Joyce asked in a small voice.

"I wouldn't put it passed them," he answered, "but I don't think they are behind this."

"They've poisoned her before," she replied, barely able to keep the accusation out of her voice. Giles heard it anyway and flinched.

"If it were a matter of tradition or protocol I might agree with you," he said. "But right now there would be no reason. There would be nothing to gain."

"Was there a reason before?" she asked quietly.

"According to my father there was," he replied, "though I have yet to figure it out." He sighed. "I can certainly see the Council doing something like this, but they always have a reason. I can't see how this could possibly benefit them."

"Maybe they found out?" Joyce suggested. Giles shook his head.

"My father already knew," he said quietly. "That is why he came to New York. Why he came here. To get to know his family. My family."

"So if it's not the Council doing this, then what is?" Joyce asked. Giles looked directly at her for the first time.

"I don't know," he quietly admitted. They stared at each other for a minute, until Ben saw them and headed over.

"Okay, this doesn't make any sense," Ben grumbled as he studied the latest test results.

"What?" Giles asked wearily from his position by the door.

"I have the latest results of her blood work," he said, holding up the folder. "Her white cell count is alarmingly low."

"What does that mean?" Joyce asked desperately.

"White blood cells are what our bodies use to fight disease," Ben explained carefully. "They essentially make up our immune system." They nodded in understanding. "A typical human has on average a white cell count of five to ten thousand. Buffy is barely scraping one thousand."

"Why?" Giles demanded. Ben shook his head.

"There are certain diseases and medical conditions that can explain a low white cell count, but we've tested for those with negative results. Certain medications, which we know she isn't taking, as well as drug and alcohol abuse, which I think we can safely rule out at this time."

"What about before?" Joyce offered. "We know they gave her something before she was rescued."

"She was in a coma for almost seven months," Ben told her gently. "Whatever they gave her is out of her system. And if it was the cause of this it should have shown up before now." Joyce nodded her head.

"Have you tried calling Gregory?" Giles asked. Ben nodded.

"He was one of the first people I called. He had lots of theories involving demons and magic, but the evidence doesn't support any of them. I sent him a copy of the test results. He said he'd look into it and get back to me." He looked back to Giles. "Are you absolutely certain there is nothing supernatural going on here?"

"Yes," he answered. "They even double checked last night." Ben nodded.

"Can I go sit with her?" Joyce asked quietly. Ben looked at her carefully.

"Yes," he eventually said, "but if her immune system is compromised I insist you wear gloves and a mask. Try to limit her exposure to germs." Joyce agreed and Ben called for a nurse. She showed her where to scrub up and soon she was entering Buffy's room. Joyce took her usual spot at Buffy's bedside. She reached out to grab her hand, giving it a little squeeze.

* * *

"What the Hell is going on here?" Faith demanded as she bowled her way past nurses and orderlies who tried to stop her. Ben waved them back and Faith marched up to the waiting room, Daniel following close behind. They were no closer to figuring out what was going on with the blonde Slayer. Night had fallen and the Scoobies had once again invaded the hospital. "We get back from L.A. and find Andrew alone in the house with the kids. Then he tells us Buffy is back in the hospital. What is going on?"

"Are you alright?" Ben asked as his eyes immediately shot to the long scratches on her arms and hands. He immediately headed over to her, but she just waived him off.

"I'll be fine," she said dismissively, "Slayer healing. But what's going on?" Joyce and Giles told her a quick version of what happened, but Ben was fixated on what she said. "Yo Doc? You still with us?" Faith asked when he got a faraway look in his eyes.

"Slayer healing," he said quietly, before zeroing in on Giles. "Do Slayers ever get sick?"

"It has happened, but it's extremely rare," he answered. "Why?"

"We forgot one big supernatural element at play here," he answered. "She's a Slayer." Giles's eyes got wide as he considered that angle. "How does Slayer healing work? Does it only heal damage or does it help prevent disease as well?"

"I don't know," Giles admitted. "I've never really given that much thought into Slayer healing. No more than I've given to their increased strength and speed."

"But you've been able to take that away," Joyce said suddenly. "That drug that you used on her eighteenth. Can the Council somehow take away a Slayer's healing power too?"

"Not without leaving a trace," Giles said. "Even a basic blood test would reveal the foreign compound in Buffy's blood during the test."

"Hmmm," Ben said thoughtfully. "I have an idea, but I need a baseline to compare with." He turned to Faith. "Would you be willing to let me draw a blood sample? It would allow me to compare the various cell counts between a healthy Slayer and a sick one."

"Sure," Faith answered nonchalantly, but she couldn't hide the shiver that ran through her body. Ben raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. "I just don't like needles much," she said as she pulled up her sleeve and offered Ben her wrist. He gestured for Faith to follow him into one of the other rooms. She returned a few minutes later, holding a cotton ball over a small puncture wound.

"He's going to get started with his tests," Faith told everyone, "and said he would get back with us as soon as he can." They all nodded as two by two they went to visit Buffy while Joyce prepared for another long night. "Now will someone tell me what has been happening here?"


	24. Chapter 24

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Giles led everybody back to the waiting room where he explained exactly what happened since Faith left. By the time he finished everyone was feeling overwhelmed. They offered to stay with Giles overnight, but he declined and told them to go home. When they left with no argument he finally understood how much of a shock Kate's findings were to everybody.

He sighed as he absently wandered down the hallway until he found himself outside Buffy's room. He leaned up against the wall as nurses changed the ice packs surrounding her and adjusted her medication. Joyce was a constant presence as she gripped her daughter's hand tightly, but one look at Buffy's limp fingers told him she was still unconscious.

"Giles?" He looked up to see Ben's concerned face and realized the young doctor was trying to get his attention for the last few minutes. He smiled reassuringly, straightening up to give the young man his full attention.

"Sorry, I'm a bit tired," he said as evenly as he could. Ben nodded knowingly, moving over to stand next to the older man.

"She is responding," he told her, watching Buffy through the glass. "I know it doesn't seem like it but she is getting better."

"Then why isn't she awake?" he asked in a voice barely heard. Ben took it as a rhetorical question. "Did you need something?" Giles asked, looking to the young doctor.

"I'm working on a theory about Slayer healing and was hoping you would help. You're the closest thing we have to an expert right now."

"Of course," he said without hesitation. He would do anything for his Slayer.

"First of all Faith's blood sample was very enlightening. Faith also has a low white cell count, but when I compared it with Buffy's the counts were similar. I think that a low white cell count is normal for a Slayer and not what I should be worrying about."

"How can you not worry about this?" Giles exploded. "She's lying helpless in a hospital bed with a fever high enough to cause seizures and you're not worried?" Joyce looked up at the shouting. She quickly joined him in the hallway, putting her arms around him and leaning up against his chest. He automatically held her gently while he struggled to get himself under control.

"Perhaps I worded that wrong," Ben said judiciously, trying hard not to provoke another outburst from the normally stoic man. "We are concerned about her current state, but we know exactly what is causing it and have started treatment. And despite how it looks right now, she is responding. What concerns me most is how she got in this state. If a lower immunity response is normal for a Slayer, why is her immune system suddenly not working. Faith is being exposed to these same germs, and her immune system is coping just fine."

"You have a theory?" Giles spat out, not quite as calm as he wanted. Ben nodded.

"You often said it's easier to think of Buffy and The Slayer as two separate entities." Giles nodded. He did often say that. "What if we take that thought and continue it to her healing. Certain anomalies in her blood makes sense if The Slayer makes up the difference. Buffy isn't fighting disease, The Slayer is. Buffy isn't mending cut and torn skin, The Slayer is. Buffy isn't repairing broken bones, The Slayer is."

"Until The Slayer isn't," Giles said, getting a general feel of what Ben was trying to say. "But in New York she was in a coma for seven months."

"Buffy was," Ben agreed, "but I don't think The Slayer was. I think you were right. The Slayer was protecting the children, keeping them safe until they could survive on their own."

"Then The Slayer returned to Buffy," Joyce said, her mind on the day the twins were born. "That's why she woke up just before delivery."

"And why she continued to improve at an accelerated rate," Giles finished. "But what's different now?"

"That is what I'm worried about," Ben said. "Something is wrong. Something that The Slayer is trying to fix at the exclusion of everything else. And if we can't figure out what that something is I'm afraid it might just kill her."

"That actually sounds like a reasonable explanation," Giles said. Joyce pulled out of his arms when he calmed down enough to where she didn't think he was going to put a fist in the wall.

"If that's true," she said, looking directly at Ben for the first time, "what can we do to help?"

"You've already done your part by ruling out the supernatural," he said calmly. "Now it's up to me to figure out what is naturally causing this."

* * *

"Ms. Summers?" Joyce jerked awake at the summons, struggling to place herself for a minute until she saw Buffy's still form in the hospital bed and the previous night came crashing beck to her. She scrunched her eyes up and rolled her shoulders, hoping her aching body would forgive her sudden sleeping habits. Someone called her name again and she rubbed at tired eyes before turning to the person who was trying to get her attention.

"Yes?" she asked wearily to the nurse. The nurse smiled at her.

"Dr. Wilkinson is transferring Buffy back to her old room," she said helpfully.

"What?" Joyce asked, her sluggish mind having a hard time catching up. She glanced into the hallway to see what Rupert's reaction to the news was, but he had obviously gone home. She glanced back at the familiar looking nurse. "Abby?" she asked when she finally remembered where she knew her from.

"Yes," Abby smiled brightly at her. "Buffy is being transferred back to my ward, so I will be able to look after her again." Joyce nodded happily. While the doctors and nurses in the ICU were very competent, they lacked the bedside manner that Joyce found comforting from their old nurse.

"How is she doing?" Joyce asked as she stretched her arms over her head. Abby quickly checked her chart before turning back to Joyce.

"Much better," she told her quickly. Joyce looked critically at her daughter. Much better was the answer everyone gave the last few days, but this was the first time her daughter actually looked better. She was starting to get some color back in her cheeks and her sleeping was finally peaceful. Joyce glanced at the monitors surrounding the bed. Though she had spent more time in a hospital than she cared to admit, she still couldn't make heads or tails out of the squiggly lines, but there was one reading she could understand. She closed her eyes in relief when she saw Buffy's temperature had finally started to drop. "Ms. Summers?" Abby's voice cut through Joyce's musings.

"Sorry," she replied, smiling at the young nurse. "Guess I'm still a little tired." Abby returned the smile before turning serious.

"We need you to leave so we can get Buffy settled into her new, old room," she said patiently.

"Right," Joyce said. She turned back to her daughter and grabbed her hand tightly. "I'll see you in a minute baby," she said, reaching down and placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead. She rose and went out into the hallway to wait, watching as they prepared to move Buffy.

"Joyce?" She turned to find Ben next to her.

"You're transferring her out of the ICU," she said. "That means she's getting better, right?"

"Yes and no," he said, looking uncomfortable. She forced herself to give him her full attention, but Ben looked around uncomfortably. "Can we go talk in my office?"

"What about the others?" she asked, almost in a panic. "Or Rupert."

"I'll tell them," he promised her, "but I really think it would be best if we talked alone first, before we meet up with the group." She nodded and followed Ben through the hallways and into his office. Being one of the newest doctors to join their staff, his office was rather small. Barely enough room for a desk, chairs, and a small sofa.

"What's wrong?" Joyce immediately asked. "Have you figured out what is wrong with Buffy?"

"Yes," he said carefully as they began to talk.

* * *

"What's happening?" Xander asked as he approached the group that was waiting in the lobby of the hospital.

"We don't know," Giles said agitatedly. "The receptionist had a message from Ben asking us to wait for him here."

"They only say that when something's wrong," Xander said, shooting a panicked look to the reception desk. She smiled reassuredly at him. "Where's Joyce?"

"She was supposed to be here," Dawn said worriedly. Giles went back to pacing while everyone else sank back into their chairs. Lost in their thoughts they didn't immediately notice when Ben joined them until he cleared his throat. "Mom?" she asked worriedly when Joyce numbly followed him in. Joyce ignored her daughter though, instead heading to Giles and threw herself into his arms. He held her tight while she sobbed on his shoulder, but after a minute he looked up to the young doctor.

"Buffy?" he asked apprehensively.

"She's responding well to her treatment," Ben told them, "but her condition is serious." He looked over as Faith, Daniel, and Veronica joined them. Tara reached for Willow while Anya held tightly to Xander.

"No," Faith whispered loudly. Her mind automatically going to the worst case scenario.

"Buffy is still with us," he told everyone once again. "She's responding well to her treatments and has stabilized enough to move her out of ICU. They're preparing her old room and are moving her right now. You'll be able to see her in a minute." Everyone breathed in relief but looked confused.

"If everything is fine why is Joyce crying?" Anya asked in her usual blunt way.

"Everything is not fine," Joyce mumbled as she pulled herself out of Giles's arms. She smiled sadly at Dawn before focusing on everyone momentarily. "Where are the twins?"

"Andrew is watching them," Tara said softly. "What's wrong?" Joyce looked at Ben and nodded before burying herself back in Giles's shoulder.

"Buffy's kidneys are failing," Ben told the group. "Or more accurately they have nearly failed. If she was anyone else she would have been dead days if not weeks ago." He stayed quiet for a moment, letting the group process the information. Surprisingly it was Dawn who spoke first.

"Was that why she was getting sick?"

"Indirectly," he told them. "When she was in New York it seemed like her Slayer healing focused more on her children than herself. Something similar is happening here. Slayer healing is focusing on her failing kidneys, which is leaving her immune system vulnerable, which is why she is getting so sick from common ailments."

"So we fix her kidneys and then everything is good again?" Willow asked hopefully. Ben sighed.

"Unfortunately fixing her kidneys is going to be hard, even with Slayer healing. The Slayer helped keep her alive, but it also hid the problem when we would have been able to fix it. Now the damage is too extensive."

"Are you saying there is nothing we can do?" Giles asked. Joyce whimpered one last time before pulling herself out of his arms and facing the doctor.

"We can start her on dialysis, but it's only a short term solution. With the level of damage she has nothing short of a kidney transplant that will work."

"A kidney transplant?" Xander asked. "We can do that. She can have one of mine." Joyce smiled softly.

"It's not that simple Xander," she told him softly. "There's a whole process they have to go through. It takes time. Maybe too much time."

"Finding a match is the first and hardest step," Ben explained. "Without a match her body will reject the new kidney. If we find a match we can begin the transplant process, but even then there's no guarantee it will work. Her body could still reject the new organ."

"How do we find a match?" Tara asked.

"Testing. We've taken a sample from Buffy. We then take samples from anyone willing to donate to see if any are a match. If there is no match she will be placed on the national organ transplant waiting list."

"Where her chances will be slim to none," Anya said bluntly. "My organs are perfectly healthy. You may do you test then Buffy can have one." Ben smiled.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but the best chance of a match comes from immediate family." He looked to Joyce. "If you're willing I would like to start testing with you and Dawn." Joyce shared a look with her daughter before both of them nodded.

"You'll want to test me too," Giles told him. Ben looked at the older man.

"Again I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I have to start with immediate family. If there are no matches, then I'll proceed to her friends."

"Then you'll want to test me too," he insisted. He took a deep breath, locked eyes with Joyce, then proceeded. "I'm her biological father." Everyone was stunned. Shocked silence filled the room so completely nobody noticed when a nurse entered the room.

"Yes?" Joyce asked when the nurse was unable to get Ben's attention. She smiled and turned to address the older woman.

"Your daughter is back in her old room. She's all settled in and you can see her now." Joyce nodded and she, Giles, and Veronica made their way down the familiar hallway. It took a few minutes for the others to realize they had left and quickly made the same journey.

"Mom?" Dawn asked when they finally caught up with them. Joyce was sitting in a chair next to Buffy's bed, holding her hand gently, while Giles was standing on her other side. Joyce turned to look at Dawn as she stood dumbfounded at the foot of the bed. The others filled in around her. Willow closed the door behind her and turned to face the group.

"You two have some splaining to do," she said, wearing her famous resolve face as she took her place with the group. Giles sighed as he began.

"I had no idea," he started. "When Joyce found Buffy in New York, the detectives required DNA proof that she was her mother before they would tell us anything or even let us see her. At the hospital I gave a sample to help put Joyce at ease. I had no idea it would come back positive."

"But how?" Dawn started, looking at her mother desperately. Joyce sighed.

"I had no idea either," she started just like Giles. "I always though Hank was her father. Your father." She smiled kindly at Dawn. "When we found out I racked my brain thinking what could have happened."

"And?" Dawn gestured with her hands.

"When I was in college, I was part of a group of Art History Majors who went to England for a school project. We were interning with different museums there, getting some real world experience for a semester. We finished the project a few weeks before we needed to be home and decided to spend the last few weeks having fun. Hank had graduated the year before and decided to join me, along with a few other boyfriends and girlfriends, and we went crazy."

"At the same time I was with Ethan and the rest of the group, and we were living it up in London," Giles continued. "We didn't care about anything. Drugs during the day, drinking during the night. Living for the day and not caring about tomorrow."

"Our two groups intersected," Joyce finished. "About a week before we had to leave. We met in a pub that I can barely remember and spent the next few days in a drunken haze. We were experimenting, doing things I never wanted you kids to find out about. After a few days Hank took me out and proposed. We spent the last few days alone before heading back to the States. When I found out I was pregnant I never thought it could be from anyone but Hank."

"And you never suspected?" Xander asked facing Giles. "All these years as her Watcher and you never…"

"No," Giles answered.

"Who else knows?" Faith asked. Giles shook his head.

"The only people who know are the members of this group and my father." The group fell silent again, only to be disrupted by a nurse.

"I just need to take some blood samples," she said kindly. Joyce immediately held out her arm, Dawn and Giles following her lead. She finished taking the samples and was leaving the room when Ben entered.

"We should have some preliminary results in a day or two," he told them. "If there's no match we'll start testing everyone else." Giles nodded as another nurse pushed a piece of equipment into the room. "I'm going to start dialysis right away. We've already prepared her for the treatments." He explained everything as they hooked her up to the machine, the group watching morbidly when Ben turned it on and Buffy's blood slowly drained down the tube."

"How long is the treatment?" Giles asked.

"About six hours," Ben told him as he checked to make sure everything was working. "Every third day." Joyce closed her eyes.

"When can I take her home?" she asked wearily. "Does she need to stay here all the time?" Ben sighed.

"No," he told her. "Once we get her fever down and get her stabilized you should be able to bring her home again. But she will need to return to the hospital for treatments."

"Just tell me when I can take my baby home again," Joyce said desperately. Ben nodded and left.

"I think we should give the family some time alone," Veronica said after a few minutes. "We all need time to digest this news. Come along." Giles sent her a grateful nod as she headed for the door, the other young adults reluctantly following her.

"So," Dawn started uncertainly. "Does this mean that you and Giles are gonna get married?" Joyce shook her head.

"We're friends Dawn," she said, reaching out to her daughter. Dawn willingly let herself be pulled into her arms and sat down on her lap. "This isn't going to change that."

"I don't have to call you dad do I?" she asked, throwing Giles a challenging look. Giles smiled down at her.

"Please don't," he told her gently. "I don't want this to change anything."

"But you're stuck with me now," Dawn said gloomily, feeling the old uncertainties rear up again. Giles laughed.

"Dear girl," he started. "I've been stuck with you since the moment you entered our lives. I don't love you simply because I'm supposed to now. I've loved you since the moment we met, simply because of who you are. This doesn't change that." Dawn pulled herself from her mother's arms and ran around the bed and hugged Giles tightly. They both had tears running down their cheeks when she pulled away. She looked back to Joyce.

"Does dad know? I mean Hank?" she asked quietly. Joyce sighed.

"If he ever suspected anything he never told me," she told her. "And he still helped raise you, kind of, so it's okay if you still call him dad." She frowned as she thought about the time before Dawn got there. She technically didn't exist until five years ago, long after Hank had left their lives on a day to day basis. All the memories everyone had of her being born and growing up were placed there by the spell the monks did to create Dawn. She shook her head. These thoughts always left her confused. Apparently Dawn was thinking the same thing as she frowned.

"Maybe that's why he never was really there for me like he was for Buffy." Joyce opened her mouth to defend him, but closed it again when she thought of what Dawn said. True Hank never openly ignored Dawn, but his visits had decreased as Buffy had grown older and needed him less and less, almost as if Dawn wasn't even there.

"Maybe," she acknowledged with a frown. "But we are always here for you." Dawn smiled before a sudden thought occurred to her.

"Buffy doesn't know, does she?" Joyce and Giles locked eyes. Eventually Giles spoke.

"No. We didn't find out until New York and Buffy is in no condition to be told. I'm not even sure she would understand us right now."

"So you're going to keep this a secret from her?" Dawn asked, looking down at her sister. "Just like the twins?"

"For now," Joyce said. "When she's ready we'll tell her. Just like the twins." Dawn sighed but didn't look happy. "It's for the best," Joyce reminded her.

"I know," Dawn grumbled, "it just sucks. This whole thing has been one big suckfest."

"Totally," Joyce agreed, smiling at her youngest. Dawn smiled back.

"I should leave you two alone," Dawn said, heading back to the door.

"You don't need to leave Dawn," Giles said. "I can go if you and your mother need some time." She shook her head.

"No. I mean we probably will at some point, but right now I think I need some time alone."

"At least call someone to pick you up," Giles said. "It's dark outside."

"There's no need," Spike said suddenly, opening the door and sticking his head inside. He looked between Giles and Joyce, finally settling on the latter. "I'm sorry luv. Couldn't help but overhearin. Didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"What are you doing here Spike?" Giles asked. Spike shrugged, opening the door and walking the rest of the way into the room.

"Ran into the rest of the Scoobs. Red told me what happened. Thought I would come check it out for myself. I really didn't mean to listen in while you three talked." Giles sighed.

"Now you know," he said tiredly. "What are you going to do with this?" Spike smirked.

"Do you know how many demons would pay for this kind of information?" he asked smugly. "But I think I'll do something much more evil. I think I'll take this information and tease you mercilessly for the next eighteen or so years." Giles hung his head while Joyce let out a little laugh. Spike smirked and faced her. "Don't worry pet. I won't tell a soul."

"Thank you Spike," she said sincerely. "Can you please take Dawn home?" He nodded.

"Come on Niblet," he said as he opened the door for her. He glanced down the hall before turning back to the room to make sure Dawn was following. "Let's leave your Mum and Gramps here to their own devices." Giles groaned but Spike and Dawn just laughed casually as they made their way out into the hospital. Giles moved to close the hospital door.

"I am never going to hear the end of this," he groused as he pulled a chair over to his side of the bed and sat down heavily. Joyce laughed.

"Just wait until Xander gets over his shock," she reminded him. "I'm sure he'll have a few witty things to say to you." Giles groaned as they made themselves ready for another night in the hospital.

* * *

Joyce jerked awake as the door opened. She yawned, looking over to see Abby walking in quietly. "I'm sorry," she said as she slowly approached Buffy's bedside. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," Joyce reassured her. "A mouse can wake me up right now." Abby nodded sympathetically. They took a few steps away from the bed so not to disturb Giles, who was sleeping with his head on Buffy's bed.

"I know it's hard, watching someone you love go through this, but you need to take care of yourself before you can take care of her," Abby told her kindly. "If you can't sleep perhaps Dr. Wilkinson can prescribe something for you." Joyce shook her head.

"I can sleep just fine," she told her. "It's just," she paused, wondering how to put into words what she was thinking. "Buffy has started having nightmares. Terrifying nightmares. I hear any tiny sound and automatically think she needs me and wake up."

"Joyce," Abby sounded exasperated, "you need to learn to let the others help. You can't do this all on your own."

"I know," she said, "and the others have been great. They try their best," she admitted, "it's just sometimes Buffy doesn't react to them at all. Sometimes she'll only calm down with me." Abby just looked at her.

"It might seem like that," Abby started, "but I'm sure once you let go it will be okay." Joyce sighed and started to counter her reasoning when her stomach growled loudly. Abby looked at her pointedly. "Why don't you go get something to eat?" Joyce shook her head.

"I don't want her to wake up alone," she said. Abby smiled.

"I'll stay until you get back. The treatment is nearly over anyway. I'll need to disconnect the dialysis unit soon." She was about to protest when her stomach growled again.

"I'll just hop down to the cafeteria quick bite." Abby smiled at her before gathering the equipment she would need. Joyce watched her for a minute before turning and leaving the room. She quickly headed down to the cafeteria, grabbing the first thing she found. She sat down in the nearly empty cafeteria, indulging in a quick cry before pulling herself back together. She ate quickly before heading back to her daughter's room, her heart sinking when she heard the commotion inside.

"What happened?" she asked, rushing quickly inside. Buffy was flailing wildly on the bed. At first Joyce thought she was having another seizure, but then she saw her eyes were finally open. Open wide in terror.

"She woke up," Giles said as he tried to calm her. Abby was doing the same on her other side. Joyce rushed over, gently pushing Abby out of her way.

"Buffy?" she called, reaching out and grabbing her hand. Buffy fought for a moment before she recognized her mother. She quickly pushed herself into her mother's arms. "Shh. It's okay. I'm here. You're okay." Buffy was shaking and her heart was pounding. Joyce pulled her tighter, rubbing circles on her back.

"What's going on?" Ben asked as he ran into the room. Buffy tensed, but didn't pull away.

"I was disconnecting her from the dialysis machine and she woke up and was having a panic attack," Abby said shakily. Ben nodded.

"Nightmare?" he asked, moving to check the monitor. Giles shook his head.

"Not a nightmare," he told him. "I think she just woke up in an unfamiliar place and panicked." Ben nodded.

"Should I prepare a sedative?" Abby asked. Ben looked to Giles.

"No," Joyce said quietly. "I think I can calm her down." Ben nodded, studying the readouts carefully.

"Let's hold off for now," he told Abby. She nodded. Ben turned his attention back to Buffy. "So if this wasn't a nightmare what was it?" he asked, watching as Buffy slowly calmed down. Joyce glanced to Giles.

"Conditioning," he said darkly, pulling his glasses off. He pulled a rag out of his pocket and began cleaning them earnestly. He focused on Joyce but spoke loud enough for Ben to hear. "Part of The Ring's conditioning is an extreme fear response to certain locations, including hospitals."

"She wasn't like this before," Joyce countered. Giles sighed.

"I don't think she was aware enough before," he admitted. "When we entered her mind we inadvertently released her memories, the good and the bad. She has been slowly processing them, but this is the first time we've been back to the hospital." He looked at Joyce. "You seem to have a calming touch."

"Yeah," she agreed, watching her daughter carefully. Buffy had calmed down and was nearly asleep. "Help me lift her up." Giles did and Joyce carefully climbed into bed behind her daughter. Once she was situated Giles lowered Buffy back into her arms. Buffy curled into her arms with her head on her mother's chest. Ben and Abby came over to check none of the lines were disturbed.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier," Abby said as she adjusted the IV lines. "I didn't realize how integral your presence is to her. I thought you were just trying to be self-important. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Joyce smiled at her. "I wish I was being self-important. This is utterly exhausting." Abby smiled softly before Joyce pointed the ports Ben had inserted into Buffy's arm for the dialysis. Joyce could tell Abby was in the middle of cleaning them when the excitement started. "If you need to finish I can keep her calm." Abby nodded. Buffy tensed as Abby approached but Joyce was able to keep her still. A few minutes later she was finished and Buffy calmed down again.

"Here," Giles said, handing Joyce a partially filled cup. Joyce took it and was able to coax a few sips into Buffy.

"You've got her to start drinking?" Ben asked. Giles nodded.

"A few days ago actually. Joyce is rather amazing with her." Joyce blushed slightly but smiled at the complement.

"I think I can get her back to sleep," Joyce said softly. She was gently rubbing her back and Buffy's eyes were starting to close. Ben nodded.

"That would probably be best," he said, before looking at the two of them. "For everybody. It's still early." They nodded. Giles pulled up the chair that had been pushed back in the confusion and got as comfortable as he could.

"You don't have to stay," Joyce told Giles as Ben and Abby finished their work and left the room.

"I know I don't have to," he started, "but I want to. I want to make sure she's okay. You're both okay." She nodded.

"Welcome to the wonderful world of parenthood," she teased him lightly. "I suggest you get some sleep while you can. Who knows what tomorrow will bring."


	25. Chapter 25

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Knock knock," Xander called out quietly as he opened the door and led Dawn into the room. Willow followed after them carrying a large bag. "We come bearing food." Giles looked up while Joyce shook her head groggily.

"Did we come to early?" Willow asked, glancing at her watch.

"No," Giles said quickly. "We just had an incident last night."

"Is anything wrong?" Dawn asked, panicking slightly. Giles quickly shook his head.

"Nothing like that," he reassured her. "Buffy woke up last night and realized she was in the hospital. She had a small panic attack but your mother was able to calm her down."

"Explains why Joyce is in bed with her," Xander said knowingly. Willow nodded. "So aside from that how did the night go?"

"Good," Joyce answered, finally opening her eyes. "Is that breakfast?" Dawn nodded and Willow pulled out the plates Andrew had made for them. She handed one to Giles then placed the other on the sliding tray and moved it over the bed. Joyce carefully shifted Buffy so she could eat.

"So I was thinking," Dawn started, "about the Codex. The complete one not the small one. I've been skimming through it, trying to find the prophecy about the Third Age." Giles nodded. He had been helping her whenever he could. It was proving extremely difficult, not only because it was in a different language, but also because there was no form of grammar or punctuation that either of them could see. Sentences and prophecies merged into one another, often leaving them unable to tell when one stopped and the next started. "I've been focusing on the ones that are half English and half gibberish, since we are in the middle of the prophecy. There was one I remember that had something about a father and daughter uniting, but I dismissed it since there was no way dad would ever be in our world."

"Perhaps it would be wise to examine that prophecy in greater detail," Giles said. Dawn nodded.

"That's my thought, but I can't remember where I saw it."

"Perhaps Veronica can help you," Giles suggested. Dawn nodded just as Ben was coming into the room.

"Good morning," he greeted everyone. "Everyone is looking much better than last night."

"It's amazing what five hours of uninterrupted sleep can do," Joyce remarked as she finished her breakfast. She pushed the tray away and Willow quickly gathered the dishes.

"Five hours?" Ben asked knowingly. "Uninterrupted?" Joyce smirked and Ben just shook his head.

"Abby has a big mouth," Joyce said.

"You could say it's her job to keep me informed," Ben countered playfully. Joyce rolled her eyes.

"Either way," Giles interjected, not wanting the playful banter to get too out of hand, "it was one of Buffy's better nights." Joyce nodded. Ben let the matter drop and checked her readings.

"We have the preliminary blood test results," he said once he was sure everything was looking good. This immediately caught everyone's attention.

"So soon?" Xander asked. Ben nodded, pulling out the folder he had been carrying.

"The first step is a simple blood test," he explained. "Donors and recipients must have compatible blood types."

"And?" Joyce asked, gripping her daughter tightly.

"You and Dawn are not a match," Ben said slowly, examining the documents. Dawn sank into a chair while Joyce cried silently. Her shaking woke Buffy, who stared around the room momentarily before smiling up at her mother. "However, Giles is a match," Ben finished.

"What does that mean?" Giles asked shakily. "Will I be able to give her a kidney?" Ben held up his hands.

"We have a couple more tests to do before we get that far," he told them. "This was just the first test. Next we'll do HLA typing. This will give us a better idea how compatible your tissues will be." Giles nodded. "But one thing you really should start considering is where you want the surgery done. We should start making arrangements."

"We can't have it done here?" Joyce asked.

"We don't have the necessary equipment or expertise that specialty hospitals would have. The chances of a successful transplant are much higher at these hospitals. I have a list and would be willing to go over it with you." Joyce nodded and looked down at Buffy.

"I need to leave for a bit," she said, "but Xander and Willow and Dawn are here to keep you company." She looked up to make sure they were indeed available. They nodded. Buffy followed her gaze, watching them intently. "Will you be okay?" She watched them for a minute before turning her gaze back to her mother and nodding her head. She shifted out of her arms, letting her climb out of the bed. Willow and Xander quickly took her place, one on each side of Buffy. Willow grabbed the remote and started channel surfing, leaving Xander free to comment on what they were watching. Joyce and Giles watched for a minute until it was clear Buffy was fixated on the television, then they followed Ben out of the room.

"Is she going to be okay without you?" he asked casually as they slowly headed down the hallway toward his office. Joyce nodded.

"She'll be fine with Xander and Willow."

"But last night?" he asked.

"Last night she didn't know where she was or how she got here," Giles said calmly. "She does know that now. Although I wouldn't recommend leaving her alone, especially while she is sleeping, Xander and Willow are perfectly capable of keeping her entertained." Ben nodded as he opened the door to his office for them. Stepping behind his desk he pulled out a handful of brochures and they began discussing their options.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Anya asked bluntly when Joyce entered The Magic Box.

"Anya," Dawn groaned from her spot at the research table. Anya sighed then turned back to Joyce.

"I'm sorry. What I meant to say is I am surprised to see you here and not at the hospital."

"I was looking for Dawn," she said, sitting down at the circular table. She faced her daughter. "You were gone when Rupert and I got back."

"I wanted to start researching," she said honestly, pointing to the book she had in front of her. Joyce nodded but made no move to get up. "Are you okay Mom?"

"No," she mumbled, slowly dissolving into tears. Dawn looked at Anya questioningly. She sighed and started to move from behind the register, but Tara beat her to it. She sat down next to the older woman, gently pulling her into her arms and rocking her. "Thank you," she said once she got herself under control.

"It's okay," Tara smiled gently. "It'll dry." Joyce smiled as she pulled herself out of the blonde's arms. "Did the results come back?" she asked. Joyce nodded.

"Neither Dawn nor myself are a match," she whispered.

"What about Giles?" Anya asked, much more interested now that the crying was over.

"He passed the first round, but there's more testing that needs to be done before they can say for sure," she said. "I just feel so helpless."

"I understand," Tara told her. "When my mom was sick I wanted so bad to help, but there was nothing I could do. Nothing anyone could do."

"How did you deal?" Dawn asked, obviously shaken more than she was letting on.

"I was just there for her," she said quietly. "She said spending time with me and my brother was the best thing we could do for her."

"Thank you Tara," Joyce said, eyes bright with unshed tears.

"So did you decide which hospital?" Dawn asked.

"What?" Anya asked from behind the counter. "Why can't you just stay here?"

"They don't have the right equipment," Joyce said. "There's a hospital in L.A. Ben is making the arrangements."

"Mom?" Dawn asked quietly. "Why wasn't I a match? Didn't the monks make me out of Buffy?"

"I don't know Dawn," she told her. "We still don't know much about that spell or how it actually worked." Dawn nodded resignedly. "So what are you working on?" she asked, looking down at the table. The Codex was open and surrounded by pads of papers.

"Trying to find the prophecy I was talking about earlier," she said. "But I can't quite find it and I don't think Giles would appreciate it if I started marking up the book."

"Have you tried photocopying the pages?" Joyce suggested, "or scanning them?"

"Yep," Dawn confirmed, "but nothing comes up. We think the magic protecting it is too strong. The only thing that works is writing out what I can read, but that will take forever."

"What if you read and I write?" Joyce suggested. "Then we can try to organize these prophecies into some sort of order."

"Don't you need to get back to the hospital?" Dawn asked. Joyce looked up.

"I think I need some time away," she admitted. "I need something to do other than worry. Besides Rupert is still there. And Willow and Xander. Buffy will be fine." Dawn nodded and the two of them soon had a method going. Anya and Tara helped whenever they could, but they had to take care of the stores as well. Veronica came in around noon and she and Joyce took turns recording the prophecy as Dawn read. By the time Faith and Daniel came to the shop all three were tired.

"At this rate it's going to take months," Dawn complained. They had worked all day and barely made a dent in the large book. She carefully placed a book mark so they would know where they left off.

"We don't have anything else going on," Joyce said, enjoying spending the time with her other daughter even if the work was tedious and boring if not a little disturbing. All those prophecies about The Slayer and not one of them had a happy ending.

"I found it rather enjoyable," Veronica told them. She had taken on the role of deciphering the information.

"Watchers," Faith rolled her eyes. Veronica retaliated by slapping her lightly on the arm. They watched as Tara and Anya closed the shops, then the group made their way to the hospital. They made their way down the familiar hallways and into an equally familiar room only to find Xander and Willow playing a cutthroat game of War. One was on each side of the bed and they were using the tray as their table. Buffy was looking on, smiling at their antics. She was continually reaching for their cards, and when she finally gripped some they conceded and let her have them.

"And Buffy wins again," Xander crowed. He began gathering up the cards, Buffy trying to help him, and started shuffling the deck. Willow handed over her cards and watched.

"Where's Giles?" Anya asked. Willow looked up at them while Xander hastily dealt.

"He and Ben are starting the third test," she said as she absently gathered her cards and put one down without even looking.

"Already?" Tara asked as Buffy tried picking up the cards, but only succeeded in pushing them back toward Willow. She casually added them to her own pile. "Did they finish the second test?"

"Not yet," she said, shaking her head slightly, "but the initial results are quite promising so they went ahead and started the third test."

"The most important test," Ben said as he and Giles reentered the room. "If the crossmatch comes back negative we should proceed right away."

"Isn't this moving a bit fast?" Dawn asked. "Is it really this bad?"

"Yes," Joyce said simply.

"I am extremely concerned," Ben told the group. "There are signs The Slayer is weakening. If she fails, Buffy won't survive. There's no way to know how long The Slayer will last. If we have a match, and a willing donor, we need to move as quickly as possible."

"How quickly would that be?" Giles asked. Ben sighed.

"Tomorrow," he said. "If the results are negative I want to move Buffy tomorrow. The hospital in L.A. is already expecting you. All we need are the results from the crossmatch."

"That isn't enough time," Anya protested. "We can't just close up the shops and leave. We need to wait for the weekend at least."

"Anya," Giles groaned, but Ben smiled.

"If everything is good it will still be a few days before the actual surgery. The hospital will double check our results, just to be on the safe side, before the surgery. Buffy and Giles are the only ones who will need to leave right away, though I suspect Joyce will want to go as well." Joyce nodded. There was no way she was going to leave her daughter alone.

"What about the dialysis treatments?" she asked him. "Are they working?"

"It's too early to say for sure," he told her, "but they will be able to continue the treatments in L.A." Joyce nodded and the group fell silent. Ben excused himself to do his rounds, while everybody watched as Buffy, Xander, and Willow played cards, until Buffy started getting tired. "I think it's time to call it a night," Ben said when he reentered the room as Buffy's head jerked upright for the fourth time. They all nodded, saying their goodbyes as the left the room. Eventually the only ones remaining with Ben were Giles and Joyce. Buffy looked up at them expectantly.

"What Buffy?" Joyce asked, looking at Ben curiously. Ben could only shrug. Buffy responded by pointing at her legs. She weakly pulled her left leg up then looked at them once more.

"Her nightly exercises," Giles said, understanding what she was saying. He looked to Ben. "Are we able to do them?"

"Basic ones should be fine," he said. "Just don't have her twist or entangle the lines." Giles nodded and started her exercises. Buffy smiled at him as he worked then slowly started to fall asleep. By the time he was done she was out. Giles pulled up the blanket and tucked her in. "I'm assuming you'll want to stay," Ben said, looking to Joyce. He was eager to avoid another incident like last night.

"I think we both will," she said, looking at Giles. Ben nodded.

"I'll inform Abby," he said, making a note on her chart. "Goodnight."

"Night," they both called back absently as they made themselves ready for another long night.

* * *

"So the test came back negative?" Dawn asked the next afternoon. Buffy had another rough morning, but Joyce was able to calm her down quickly. After that they were able to watch TV until it started losing Buffy's attention. Surprisingly Spike showed up with a book and started reading to Buffy. She was instantly mesmerized and Spike settled in for a long haul leaving Joyce and Giles free to run home and shower and change. Ben met them in the lobby with the results of the crossmatch test. It was negative and he was making arrangements to move Buffy later on tonight. Giles and Joyce were both packing a bag for their trip. Dawn was helping her mother, though in reality she was just watching while her mother packed.

"Yep," Joyce said as she quickly folded the shirts she was taking with her. "But negative is good in this case."

"So you're gonna head to L.A. later tonight?" she asked double checking. Joyce nodded. "And they're gonna do the same tests that Ben already did?"

"Yes," she said, adding her toiletries to the bag. "They specialize in these types of situations and want to double check Ben's findings, just to be sure." She turned to look at her daughter. "Did you want to come down tonight or wait and come with everyone else?" The others were coming down on Saturday.

"I think I'll wait if that's okay," she said. Joyce nodded and zipped up her bag. "I'm starting to get a feel for the book and don't want to stop just yet." Joyce nodded again and grabbed her bag. Dawn grabbed the small bag she had already packed for Buffy then they went down to Joyce's car. Giles joined them a few minutes later.

"I think we're all set," he said after he put their bags in the trunk. Joyce handed him the keys and they all piled in. The drive to the hospital was done in silence, each of them lost in their thoughts. Ben met them at the door.

"The UCLA Medical Center is waiting your arrival. Dr. Michael Hanson is one of the best transplant surgeons in the nation. I've already consulted with him about Buffy's unique situation and have forwarded him her medical records, but I'm sure he will want to talk to you. I've also forwarded the test results as well as your medical records Giles, but I'm sure he'll want to talk to you as well." He handed them a paper with the pertinent information printed out as they walked to Buffy's room. It was early afternoon and they were surprised to see the rest of the gang, including Spike, there waiting for them. Buffy was watching everyone contentedly.

"We couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye," Willow said, tears in her eyes. "Even though we'll see you in a few days." Joyce pulled the young girl into her arms, encasing her in a warm hug.

"It will all be okay," she promised as she let go of Willow and moved to Anya.

"Yes," Anya said confidently, although Joyce could hear the slight quiver in her voice that told her the ex-demon wasn't coping as well as she pretended. "You'll go to L.A. and Buffy and Giles will trade organs and everything will be good again." Joyce nodded as she went from Anya to Tara to Xander, finally ending with Dawn. She gave her daughter a huge hug while Giles performed the same rounds she just did. He was pulled away by Victoria for a moment, but then they joined the group.

"Please keep each other safe while we're gone," Joyce begged, looking at each of them intently.

"We'll be fine luv," Spike said gently. "You just take care of our girl. I'll take care of the Hellmouth till you get back."

"Us too," Faith added. "We won't leave till the situation is resolved one way or another."

"What about the Council's orders to go back to Cleveland?" Giles asked. Faith opened her mouth to reply but Veronica beat her to it.

"Screw the Council," she said determinedly. "This is family." Faith threw her an impressed smirk.

"We'll guard a Hellmouth," Faith said, "just not the one in Cleveland. Then we'll come down on Saturday with everyone else and support my sister Slayer." Giles nodded before turning to Joyce. She gave everyone one last look before turning to Ben.

"We're ready." He nodded and hit the call button. A few minutes later Abby came in and they soon had Buffy unhooked from the various machines until only a single IV remained.

"We thought she would be more comfortable driving down in your car," Ben explained when they saw Buffy wearing hospital scrubs instead of a gown. "Unless you would prefer an ambulance?"

"No," Joyce said as they carefully moved Buffy into a wheelchair. She looked around excitedly.

"I thought so," he said as Abby slowly pushed her out of the room. The gang, minus Spike, followed behind them as they made their way to the parking lot. Giles rushed ahead, opening the door and getting everything ready for Buffy. Ben and Abby carefully got her situated in the car, hanging the remaining IV bag from the coat hook on the roof while Joyce ran around to the other side and climbed in. Soon Buffy was settled in her mother's arms. Abby unfolded a blanket and draped it over the two women before shutting the door firmly. The gang waved goodbye while Ben and Giles walked around to the driver's side. Before Giles could open it Ben handed him a small box. "Just in case," he said. He opened it to find a sedative, pre measured and waiting. "I hope you don't have to use it, but just in case. If anything goes wrong you can call me, day or night. And I'm not just talking about the drive."

"Thank you," Giles said tightly. Ben simply nodded, opening the door for Giles. A few minutes later they were leaving the town of Sunnydale. "It will all be fine," he said, watching Joyce and Buffy in the rear view mirror. Joyce smiled tightly but couldn't keep the worried frown off her face for long. Buffy, for her part, was leaning toward the window, excitedly watching as the scenery passed by. Every so often she would glance back at her mother and smile but then something would catch her attention and she would look out the window again. This continued for almost an hour before she started to tire. She laid her head on her mother's chest, content to watch as the world passed by as she started to doze. Joyce reached up and started stroking her hair gently and was able to notice immediately when she started to tense.

"Buffy," she called softly, thinking her daughter was having another nightmare. Buffy turned her head slightly so she could look up at her mother.

"Joyce?" Giles asked from the front. She frowned.

"She's tensing," she told him. "Are we near the hospital?" She had been focusing on her daughter the entire trip and had no idea where they actually were.

"Not yet," he told her, glancing back at his Slayer. "We are nearing L.A. though." He slowed down slightly as he alternated between watching the road and his daughter.

"Rupert," Joyce called out, "you're frowning. What are you thinking?"

"A disturbing thought," he admitted. "We know The Ring brought her here as part of their operation. What if she thinks we're bringing her here to continue that service?" Joyce cringed as she thought about what he said.

"We'll just have to show her we're not," she said. Buffy looked up at her again, smiling slightly, but Joyce could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. "We won't let anyone hurt you baby. I promise." Buffy nodded and turned her head again so she was watching the scenery. As they neared L.A. Buffy continued to tense, but Joyce was always able to keep her calm. That was until they made the final turn and Buffy saw the hospital. Buffy began to struggle fiercely, desperately trying to get out of the car. "Buffy!" Joyce finally broke through her daughter's panic. She grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet her eyes. "It's okay," she repeated over and over again as Giles sped up slightly to reach the hospital. He parked directly in front of the admission office just as Ben directed. He saw a group of hospital staff, including Dr. Hansen, and quickly shut the car off and opened the door.

"Hello," he said politely, rushing over to shake the doctor's hand. "Dr. Hansen?"

"You must be Mr. Giles," he said politely. Giles nodded. "And Buffy is in the car?" He moved to open the door but Giles stopped him.

"She is having a panic attack," he told them quickly. The orderlies looked to the doctor for instructions. "Her mother is trying to calm her down. If you can give us a few minutes, I'm sure Joyce will be able to get through to her." Dr. Hansen looked through the car windows. "I'm sure Dr. Wilkinson mentioned her special circumstances," Giles said. Dr. Hansen sighed, motioning the orderlies back inside.

"I'll give you fifteen minutes to calm her down," he said, pushing the wheelchair towards Giles. "Then I'll have to sedate her." Giles nodded as Dr. Hansen calmly walked back inside the hospital. Giles quickly opened the car door. As he expected Joyce had managed to calm Buffy down quite a bit.

"It's okay," Joyce kept repeating. "Just focus on me." Buffy tried to do that, but every so often something would catch her eye and she would lose focus. Joyce was quick to bring her attention back to her though, and she could feel Buffy's breathing and heartbeat slowly come back to normal.

"Maybe it would be better if she closed her eyes," Giles advised, "at least until we reach the room." Joyce glanced at him momentarily, but Buffy surprised both of them when she did what he suggested. She didn't even open her eyes when Giles moved her from the car to the wheelchair.

"Just focus on my voice," Joyce told her as she scrambled from the car. Buffy had a death grip on Giles's hand and wasn't letting go any time soon. Joyce placed her own hand on Buffy's shoulder, rubbing it gently. She felt Buffy relax slightly and between the two of them they were able to push the wheelchair through the doors. Dr. Hansen was waiting for them when they made it inside. He watched them momentarily before motioning them to follow him. He led them down several hallways, stopping next to one of the rooms. He pointed inside, but made no move to follow them in. "It's okay," Joyce continued to reassure Buffy. "We're almost there. You can open your eyes now." Buffy did so just before Giles moved her from the chair to the bed. She relaxed her grip on his hand, but didn't let go, as she examined the new room. Joyce moved around to the other side of the bed and let Buffy grip her hand as well. Dr. Hansen gave them a few minutes to get settled before leading two nurses into the room.

"Good evening," he greeted as he and the nurses stopped a safe distance from the bed. All three of them turned to him. He was happy to see Buffy had calmed down considerably from what he first saw. "You must be Mr. Giles and Ms. Summers," he said, not moving closer to them but instead giving them each a little head bob. Joyce and Giles copied him. "And you must be Buffy." He smiled at her, but she just stared back at him. "I'd to take a moment to introduce myself and a couple members of my staff. I'm Dr. Michael Hansen and I will be conducting your transplant operation. To my left is my surgical nurse, Patrick O'Dell, and to my right is my ward nurse, Stacie Wallace." Each of the nurses waved as they were introduced. Joyce and Giles again copied them.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Joyce told them honestly. "Thank you for all you're doing."

"My pleasure," he responded warmly. "For now we just need to get Buffy hooked up again and draw some blood for our tests. I believe she has another dialysis treatment scheduled?" Joyce nodded.

"You can come closer," Giles told them. "She's calmed down." They nodded and slowly approached. When Buffy didn't do anything other than watch them they started hooking her back up to the various machines and hanging IV lines. When they hooked up the dialysis machine and started her treatment Buffy was mesmerized by the blood flowing into and out of the machine.

"I think we'll leave you to get settled," Dr. Hansen told them once everything was in place. The nurses took the blood they drew and left the room, while Dr. Hansen watched Buffy carefully. "Once you're free if you could let the nurses know. We have several things we need to discuss." They nodded and turned their attention to the girl lying between them. She was struggling to keep her eyes open and they knew it would only be a matter of minutes before she lost the battle with sleep. Joyce reached over and started gently stroking her hair, soothing her into sleep. A few minutes later her grips on their hands went slack. Giles gently tucked her in before he and Joyce headed for the hallway.


	26. Chapter 26

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"How much longer is this going to take?" Anya asked as she bounced Billy on her knee.

"It's only been twenty minutes," Xander reminded her. "They said it could take up to three hours." Anya sighed and glanced across the room to where Joyce was sitting. Dawn was on her left while Veronica was on her right. Dawn had her arms around her mother, while Joyce was holding Alex tightly. Faith was sitting next to her Watcher, and every few minutes she would pat her arm comfortingly. The rest of the group was sprawled throughout the waiting room, reading old magazines or flipping through the TV channels.

After they got Buffy settled, Joyce and Giles met with Dr. Hansen. He explained exactly what would happen before, during, and after the surgery. He introduced them to the onsite psychologist, who sat down with them individually and together and discussed what this would mean with both parties throughout the next few days. Giles gave more blood, and the results were even more promising than when Ben ran the tests. Eventually all the preparations were made and the day of the surgery came. The rest of the Scoobies had drove down Saturday as planned, arriving just in time to see Buffy and Giles before they took them into surgery.

"This is almost worse than not knowing," Anya said, glancing up at the clock one again. She sighed, handed Billy off to Xander, and started pacing.

"No," Joyce said, looking up for the first time, "not knowing is worse. Much worse. One way or another this will be over soon. Not knowing stays with you forever." Dawn gave her a little hug as Joyce thought about the last few hours. She could tell Buffy knew something was different when her routine was disrupted that morning. She stayed with her daughter while the nurses prepared her. They had learned the hard way not to separate mother and daughter, even with Ben's warnings, when Buffy woke up screaming in the middle of her first night. The nurses couldn't calm her, but as soon as Joyce ran into the room Buffy stopped screaming and flung herself into her mother's arms. Since then one of them was always in the room with her.

Once the nurses finished their preparations they gave her a sedative. Joyce stayed, watching as Buffy fought the drug but ultimately succumbed. Buffy kept locking her eyes with her mother, but Joyce could never see anything but trust and curiosity in her daughter's eyes. When Buffy's eyes finally closed she let herself cry, giving up the strong persona she had been carrying since Buffy was found.

"Hey," Giles admonished from his side of the room. He was also being prepared for surgery. She looked up at him. "You have to stay strong. For the both of us." She nodded, and he opened his arms. She flung herself into his embrace. "It will be okay."

"You can't promise that," she said, the doctor's warnings about the risks of this type of surgery floating around in her mind.

"No," he admitted, "but I can promise to do everything in my power to help." They broke apart when the nurse came back and gave him his sedative.

"Thank you," Joyce told him as his eyes started to droop. "Thank you for what you're doing."

"I would do it," he told her sleepily, "for any of you." He trailed off as he succumbed to the drug. She grasped his hand, squeezing momentarily before the orderlies came and wheeled them both away. In a daze she returned to the waiting room, where everyone else had gathered.

Staff members, nurses, and doctors came and sat with them as much as their schedules allowed. The psychologist came and talked with everybody for over twenty minutes before he was called away. Nurses and administrators kept them informed with updates every fifteen minutes. It was one of the best hospital experiences they had, yet the group found little comfort in their attentiveness. This time two or their own were on the line.

"Ms. Summers?" Joyce was jerked out of her musings. She wasn't the only one. Everybody stared at the nurse as she walked into the room.

"Yes?" she responded, knowing immediately that this was not another one of the hospital staffs overly friendly meet and greets. This nurse wore surgical scrubs. She smiled at her.

"The first part of the operation went off smoothly. Mr. Giles did splendidly and there were no complications. He is currently in Post-Op and should be returned to their room within the hour." Joyce released the breath she didn't know she was holding. Veronica gave a small sob next to her and she immediately wrapped her arms around the woman. She wasn't the only one. Each of the Scoobies followed, briefly encasing her in the center of their family.

"Thank you," Veronica whispered. The nurse smiled.

"I need to get back," she told them as she left room. They watched her go in ecstasy. One big weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They celebrated for a few minutes before settling in to wait again. An hour later the nurse reappeared. "The surgery is complete. Buffy is in Post-Op and will be moved back into her room shortly."

"How did it go?" Joyce asked. The nurse hesitated.

"There were no complications during the surgery," she said carefully. "Dr. Hansen is getting Buffy settled then he will be in to talk to you."

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked, picking up on the nurse's tone and body language.

"Mr. Giles is back in the room. It will probably be a few hours before he wakes up, but you're more than welcome to wait there."

"He'll find us there?" she asked. The nurse nodded and left the waiting room. Joyce headed towards their room, the rest of the Scoobies following her quietly. She immediately went to Giles's side, grabbing his hand reassuringly before relinquishing her spot to Veronica. The rest of the Scoobies made themselves comfortable, but Joyce couldn't keep her eyes off the other bed in the room.

"Ms. Summers?" Joyce got to her feet immediately.

"Dr. Hansen?" He smiled slightly then headed into the room, gripping a folder tightly in his hands.

"Can we go somewhere private and talk?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Anything you need to say you can say in front of everybody," she told him. "We're family." He nodded.

"The surgery went fine," he started, "but almost immediately we started noticing signs of rejection."

"But I thought they were a match?" Veronica asked from her place next to Giles's bed.

"All the tests looked good," Dr. Hansen told her, "but there's no guarantee."

"What does that mean?" Joyce asked. Dr. Hansen turned back to her.

"It's not necessarily bad. There's always some degree of rejection, and it wasn't severe enough for us to remove the new kidney right away. We just need to convince her body that the new kidney isn't a threat."

"How do we do that?" Joyce asked weakly.

"We've already started her on a series of immunosuppressant treatments. We'll know more in a few hours." Joyce nodded as the doctor excused himself. Ten minutes later they stood up as Buffy was wheeled back into the room.

"She looks pale," Joyce said as she immediately went over and grabbed her hand.

"She is still one very sick young woman," her nurse said as he carefully reattached the various monitors and lines she needed. "But she came through the surgery very well." She nodded and took her customary place by her side.

"Rupert?" Veronica asked after about an hour. She had noticed Giles's eyes start opening.

"Uugghhh," he mumbled. Veronica reached over and poured him a cup of water, which she carefully helped him sip through the straw. "Thanks," he spoke weakly, opening his eyes completely.

"Welcome back G Man," Xander said as he approached the bed. Giles rolled his eyes.

"Don't call me that," he said. Xander beamed.

"Whatever you say," he said as he hit the call button to let the nurses know he was awake. Giles smiled at him fondly before his eyes found Joyce.

"How did it go?" he asked weakly.

"The surgery was fine," she told him. "Neither of you had any complications." Giles nodded in relief as the nurse walked in.

"Welcome back Mr. Giles," he said as he began checking his readings. "How are you feeling?"

"Sluggish," he admitted, "but not in any pain." The nurse looked at him sympathetically.

"I'm afraid that part will come later," he said as he made notations on his chart. "You're still feeling the effects of the anesthesia, that's why you're feeling so lethargic right now and why the incision doesn't hurt. In a few hours the anesthesia should have completely worn off and you'll start feeling more yourself. We'll give you something for the pain before then, but if you have any pain please let us know." He smiled and put his chart back.

"Buffy?" he asked.

"She's doing as fine as is expected right now," he told him. He nodded and let himself fall back into slumber.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Veronica asked. The nurse sighed.

"There's no sense in telling him now, especially when we don't know anything for sure."

"But rejection?" Willow countered.

"Is common after a transplant," he repeated. "Until we know more there is no sense upsetting him." Everyone nodded as they settled in to wait once again. Xander volunteered to go get food and Faith surprised everyone when she volunteered to help. The group ate in silence, watching as the nurses kept checking on Buffy with various degrees of frowns on their faces. Giles woke up again, joining in their vigil as much as possible, before crashing again. Finally, several hours after the surgery, Buffy awoke.

"Hey," Joyce said when she noticed that her eyes were open. Buffy looked at her weakly, her hand twitching toward her mother. Joyce immediately grabbed it, while Dawn did the same thing on the other side, leaving one of the others to hit the call button. "How are you feeling?" Buffy stared at her as her eyes closed.

"She woke up?" Dr. Hansen asked as he came into the room, one of the nurses right behind him.

"Briefly," Joyce said, reluctantly letting go of her hand to give the nurse access. She moved toward the doctor, who looked extremely grave. "Do you have news?" He sighed.

"It's not good," he said. Suddenly every eye was on him. "Do you want to go somewhere private to talk?" he offered. She shook her head.

"Tell me," she demanded. Dawn stepped up and held her mother. They both gave their full attention to the doctor.

"Your daughter is rejecting the kidney," he said solemnly.

"But you said rejection is normal," Anya spoke up from the other side of the room. "Then it goes away and she's fine."

"Some amount of rejection is normal," he said, "but in Buffy's case it hasn't abated. We've tried every possible treatment, but nothing has helped. Her body just isn't recognizing the kidney as benign."

"Not her body," Giles said weakly from across the room. Veronica moved to his side, gripping his hand tightly. "So now what?"

"We continue the dialysis treatments."

"But Ben said they wouldn't heal her," Dawn said.

"They won't," Dr. Hansen told her, "but they will give us time. I understand Dr. Wilkinson stopped testing when he found Mr. Giles was a match?" They nodded. "I want to continue the testing. If there's a match we can try again."

"If there's not?" Joyce asked darkly.

"She goes on the waiting list," he told them truthfully.

"Where do we go doc?" Xander asked as he rolled up his sleeves.

"I've made arrangements at the nurse's station for anyone willing to be tested." Xander nodded and followed the nurse from the room. Willow, Tara, and Anya followed his footsteps.

"What now?" Joyce asked.

"They both will stay here for a few days to ensure there are no complications from the surgery," he told them, looking over to Giles at the same time. "If we are able to find another match we'll try again, otherwise there is very little we can do." He paused momentarily. "I've informed Dr. Wilkinson of the situation. He has already resumed testing in Sunnydale."

"Thank you," Joyce said. He nodded and left the room. She turned to Giles.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help," he said sincerely. She nodded.

"You tried. That's more than most men." She turned to the corner where the twins were sleeping peacefully. She was torn between letting them sleep and the comfort she knew they would give her. As if hearing her silent call Alex woke up, looking up at her sleepily. She picked the baby up, cradling her to her chest as the others walked back in.

"They should have the preliminary results in a few hours," Anya announced as they retook their seats. She picked Billy up, who woke up just after his sister.

"What do you mean before?" Willow asked. She looked at Giles questioningly.

"What?" he asked, not quite sure what she meant.

"When the doctor was talking about rejection, you mentioned something about her body not rejecting. What did you mean?" He sighed, but now every eye was on him.

"They explained the risks of the transplant to us in great detail before you arrived," he started. "Rejection is a normal response caused by the immune system of the recipient. It recognizes the new organ as an intruder and attacks. The way doctors counter this normal response is to weaken the recipient's immune system to the point where it no longer identifies an intruder or is not able to form any solid resistance."

"But Buffy's immune system is the Slayer," Joyce said suddenly, seeing where he was going. He looked at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't think of this before," he said.

"So how do we fix this?" Xander asked. "Go into her mind and tell the Slayer to back off?" He shook his head.

"We can't," he told them. "Firstly, The Slayer doesn't consciously control anything anymore then we can consciously control our immune system. And even if The Slayer could, Buffy is far too weak right now. If we try to enter her mind, we'll kill her."

"So what do we do?" Dawn asked helplessly. He smiled at her.

"We put our faith in science and medicine," he said. Veronica shot to her feet. "Where are you going" he asked.

"To see if I can save a life," she replied as she headed out the door.

"Wait up V," Faith called as she ran after her. Daniel watched them go sadly.

"I don't think it would be a good idea for you to get tested," Giles said cautiously. Daniel nodded.

"I know," he admitted, taking the seat Veronica left. "I just feel so helpless."

"Don't we all," Dawn said, taking a seat next to him. Daniel pulled her into a hug as Veronica and Faith returned.

"There is little we can do now but wait," she said. Giles nodded as he let himself nap. The group came and went as the Scoobies decided to explore the big city that they rarely saw. Giles became more and more aware as the day passed, whereas Buffy only woke up a couple of times. Joyce never left their side, while the others managed to pull Dawn and Victoria away for a few hours.

Surprisingly it wasn't just the Scoobies that came and went. Members of Angel Investigation stopped by, some of them staying almost as long as the Scoobies. They all volunteered to get tested, which almost brought Joyce to tears. Also some old friends of Joyce's and former classmates of Buffy's and Dawn stopped by to see them. The support from the community they left over ten years ago was amazing. Dr. Hansen told them many of these people volunteered to get tested as well, along with a steady stream of volunteers in Sunnydale. Unfortunately, none of them were a match yet, but they would keep trying.

Soon the weekend was over and the Scoobies needed to get back to Sunnydale. Joyce promised to tell them if any new developments happened and they reluctantly made the drive back home. "Why don't you go ahead," Daniel told Faith as they were loading up to drive back so Sunnydale. Faith looked back at the hospital.

"You sure?" she asked. Daniel nodded.

"I'll get a ride back with Joyce," he said. Joyce nodded her permission. Giles was already officially released from the hospital, while Buffy would be released in another couple of days. The two of them were staying in L.A. until Buffy was released, then they would make the drive back home.

"Okay," Faith said as she opened the door. "But if you need me."

"I know," he said, reaching over and giving her a quick peck on the lips. She smiled and got in the car. A few seconds later the caravan pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

"Are you okay?" Joyce asked as they slowly made their way back inside.

"Yeah," Daniel said dismissively, but something caught her attention.

"Daniel?" she pressed, using her Mom voice. He sighed.

"It's just so hard to see her like this," he said as they entered her room. Giles looked over from his bed. Though he had been officially discharged, the hospital was kind enough to let him keep occupying the bed since they both flat out refused to leave Buffy's side. Especially since Giles was the only other one that could get through to Buffy when Joyce wasn't there.

"And how are you doing?" Giles asked. Daniel shrugged. He sat down and grabbed Buffy's hand. She squeezed lightly, but didn't turn to look at him. Something she was doing more and more of as she got weaker.

"When I helped Angel and Spike rescue her from Hell, I never thought I would see her again," he started. "Then when I was able to escape, I hoped I would find her but I never really thought it would happen. When it did I didn't know how to cope except to be there for her. And that was enough then. When we went off to fight Azeroth I knew we might both die, but I wasn't scared. We're warriors. If we die we want it to be fighting." He turned to look at Joyce. "This is different. This isn't a warrior's death. This is sickness. I don't know how to deal with sickness."

"Nobody does," she told him, placing her hand on top of their joined hands. "There is no right way or wrong way to deal with this." She looked at him for a minute. "Do you want a moment alone?" He nodded and she moved over to help Giles out of his bed. "Let's go get some lunch." He nodded and they quietly left the room. When they came back two hours later Buffy was sleeping and Daniel looked much more composed. Dr. Hansen was leaving her room and spotted them coming down the hallway. He waited for them to catch up.

"Doctor," Joyce greeted him.

"Ms. Summers," he replied, "Mr. Giles. I was just checking on Buffy."

"How is she doing?" Joyce asked.

"Remarkably well, considering her condition," he answered. "Her incision is nearly gone."

"She heals very quickly," Giles said softly. "Always has." Dr. Hansen smiled slightly.

"I was prepared to release her today," he told them, "but I want to do one more dialysis treatment before you take her home."

"Home?" Joyce asked. "Don't you mean back to the hospital in Sunnydale." Dr. Hansen sighed, his smile slipping from his face.

"I've spoken to Dr. Wilkinson," he told them, "and we both agree. There is very little a hospital can do for her that you cannot do from your home. Dr. Wilkinson has arranged for her dialysis treatments to continue from your home and he feels that she would be more comfortable there rather than the hospital."

"You're sending her home to die in comfort," Giles spat, but Dr. Hansen didn't argue the point.

"We haven't given up," he reminded them, "but nothing short of a transplant will help her and she rejected the one match we found. We'll continue looking and testing, and our facility will be ready at a moment's notice if we find a match, but you need to start accepting the fact that she probably won't survive." Joyce closed her eyes at his bluntness but didn't contradict him. "I'll release her tomorrow afternoon after one more dialysis treatment. I can arrange an ambulance to take her back to Sunnydale."

"That won't be necessary," Giles told him. "We'll take her home." He nodded, expecting that answer. "Thank you for all your help." Giles reached out to shake his hand, which he did.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out. I wish I could tell you why some transplants work and others don't."

"Thank you," Joyce said, as she shook his hand as well. He quickly left to give the couple some privacy. "What do we do now?" she asked as she leaned into his chest.

"We enjoy what little time we have remaining," he said as they entered her room. Giles called Ben and double checked what Dr. Hansen told him. He also called Veronica and told her the news, then they both did what Giles suggested. They cuddled and held her, watched TV, and read books. She was still very weak, and would usually fall asleep after a few minutes, but they took advantage of the time they had.

The next day after her dialysis session Dr. Hansen released her. Joyce drove home with Giles dozing next to her. He was still tired after his surgery, though he was recovering very well. That left Buffy in the back with Daniel. At first they were worried how she would handle his presence, but just like after her rescue from Azeroth, his presence brought nothing but comfort. She would lie in his arms and watch the world around her, which was what she did on the drive back home. "How is she?" Joyce asked as they neared Sunnydale.

"Starting to tense," Daniel told her. Joyce nodded, expecting the reaction. They lived on the outskirts of town, but coming from L.A. meant they had to drive through town to get home. Driving through town meant driving past the hospital.

"Do you want to trade?" Giles asked. Joyce looked in the rear view mirror to see how Daniel was doing.

"I think we'll be fine," Daniel said. Joyce nodded and continued, though she kept an eye on her daughter. She knew immediately when Buffy saw the hospital. She tensed up and would have bolted if Daniel wasn't there. He tightened his arms and whispered nonsense words until they passed, not easing his grasp until they were well away. "We're okay," he said. Joyce nodded, and focused on the road again. A few minutes later they pulled up to the house.

Buffy's body language again changed, but this time it was for the better. She smiled up at everybody as they gathered around the car, despite it being early afternoon. "What about the shops?" Joyce asked as she got out of the car.

"It isn't every day that we bring someone home from the hospital," Anya said, before frowning. "Well, maybe for us it is."

"But it's still a good excuse to party," Xander said as he pulled open the passenger side door and helped Giles out. Willow and Tara were helping Daniel with Buffy.

"I leave you alone for a few days and find you with a beautiful woman in your arms," Faith joked as she took Buffy so Daniel could climb out. He held out his hands once he was out of the car, but Faith held Buffy tighter. "Where to Ms. S?" she asked.

"I think to bed," she said as she hugged Alex close. Giles held on to Billy, while Veronica hugged his other side. "She still gets tired easily." Faith nodded and carried Buffy into the house. Everyone followed her. Joyce was surprised to see Spike perched on the counter talking quietly with Ben.

"Welcome back Mum," he said as he jumped to his feet as soon as he saw her. "Kept everything safe and sound, just like I promised."

"Thanks Spike," she smiled at him before looking at Ben. "You know what happened?" He nodded.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "We're still looking, but so far nothing has matched. We won't give up." She nodded and he reached out and place a hand on her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. He gestured to the group slowly heading up the stairs. "Let's go get her settled." They nodded and followed the group up. Ben stayed in the back for the first few minutes, but like Joyce had predicted Buffy's eyes soon started to droop. Joyce called everybody out and they happily moved the party downstairs, leaving Joyce and Giles to help Ben. He gave her a quick check before hooking up the various lines she still needed. "I'm going to keep the IV in from now on," he said as he checked the various ports. "We're going to be keeping her on an antibiotic regiment also. Either me or Abby will come around for her dialysis treatment. We'll bring any supplies she needs and will check up on her."

"Thank you," Joyce said as he finished up. He gave Giles a quick check up as well before leaving. The gang stayed throughout the night, spending time with Buffy whenever she was awake. The next week passed the same. Anya, Xander, and Tara eventually had to go back to work. Faith and Veronica started discussing the situation in Cleveland. Veronica began looking for apartments online, with Willow's help, and had found a place and was making arrangements. It was obvious Faith was starting to get angsty, but she was determined to see this through. Jonathan surprised everyone when he announced he wanted to go back to Cleveland and help Faith. She laughed but eventually conceded. Andrew on the other hand wanted to stay here and help, much to the chagrin of the Scoobies. Life was slowly coming back to normal for everyone with one big exception.

Buffy continued to grow weaker. What little strength she regained from after the operation left her again. She would spend most of her time in bed, not having enough strength to move unless someone carried her. Someone was always with her whenever she was awake, but those times became more and more infrequent. She was starting to get sick again, and not even the medicine Ben had her on could keep up. One night Joyce woke up in the middle of the night to find Buffy struggling to breath. She quickly called Giles, who called Ben, whose arrival in the middle of the night alerted everyone to the situation. The entire group gathered in her room as they watched helplessly as she struggled. They all had tears in their eyes.

"It's okay baby," Joyce said as she held her daughter close. "It's okay to let go. You can finally have the peace you've wanted for so many years."

"Mom," Buffy rasped out. Silence filled the room as she spoke for the first time. Buffy turned her head to look at her mother, oblivious to all the eyes on her. "Sorry not strong." Her voice was barely audible, and she had to stop and think about each word before she said it, but nothing had ever sounded sweeter.

"It's okay baby," Joyce repeated, fighting the urge to cry. She needed to be strong for her daughter. "You don't need to be strong right now. It's okay to let go." Buffy nodded, closing her eyes for the last time. Joyce pulled her into a crushing hug, her eyes finding Giles as she finally let the tears fall. They stared at each other as everyone sniffled around them. The silence was shattered by the ringing of a cell phone.

"Sorry," Ben said as he excused himself into the hall. "Hello," they heard through the door. "What?" They looked back at the doorway. After a few minutes Ben shakily came back in. "That was Dr. Hansen." That got everyone's attention. "They found a match and have a donor."

* * *

AN: Almost finished. One chapter left. I know it's been a long ride. I tried to break it up into two stories to make reading easier, but I couldn't find anywhere that really worked as a breaking point. Thanks for sticking it out with me.


	27. Chapter 27

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"What?" Xander asked, looking between Buffy and Ben. Ben rushed over, checking her vitals.

"Is it too late?" Giles asked as Joyce laid her unconscious daughter on the bed.

"It's a long shot," Ben admitted as he pulled the oxygen mask off the hook and put it on Buffy. "But they have a willing donor and are ready to do the operation." He stopped and watched them closely. "Or we can let her go. She probably won't last more than a few hours but she's still fighting."

"Slayers are always fighting," Faith asserted. Joyce looked to her.

"Ms. Summers?" Ben asked. She looked over to Giles desperately.

"Rupert?" He looked at her steadily.

"I can't make this decision," he told her calmly, his eyes bright with unshed tears, "but I will stand by whatever you decide." Joyce sighed and looked down at her daughter. Was it wrong to make Buffy continue to fight or was it wrong to let her slip away without a chance to fight. She pondered this as she glanced from face to face. They all looked back with hope and she realized she could not keep her daughter from any fight. She couldn't back in High School when she found out about Buffy's calling, and she couldn't now.

"It might be her time, but I won't stop her from fighting." She turned to Ben. "Make the call." He nodded, reached in his bag and pulled out a syringe. He injected the medicine into her port before pulling out his phone. After a quick conversation that nobody could follow he turned to Joyce.

"We need to get her to L.A. quickly."

"Allow me," Daniel told him. He gathered her up in his arms and disappeared. Ben didn't even blink at the display. Instead he got on the phone again.

"They'll need verbal confirmation to do the surgery," he said. "Then I expect you'll want to head down."

"Absolutely," she said. The others realized what that meant and quickly went to change from their night clothes. Ben nodded and focused on his phone call while Dawn grabbed clothes for both of them. Soon Ben handed the phone to Joyce and she talked with Dr. Hansen for a few minutes. When she gave the phone back to Ben she quickly changed clothes. "Let's go," she said when she was ready.

The cars were ready. They piled in, barely having enough room for everybody, and made the trip down once more. They caught early morning rush hour traffic as they neared L.A. and by the time they finally pulled into the parking lot more than three hours had passed. Joyce led the charge into the hospital. As soon as the nurse at the information desk saw her she pointed to the waiting room. Daniel was pacing back and forth. He looked up as soon as he saw them and rushed over to Faith, giving her a back breaking hug.

"I went back as soon as Buffy went into surgery," he told them, "but you were all gone. Andrew said you were on your way here so I came back and waited." He let go of Faith and turned to Joyce. "I stayed with her till the very end."

"Thank you," she said as she started crying softly. Giles put his arms around her and she leaned into his chest. The group was just starting to get comfortable when a very familiar man walked into the waiting room. "Gregory?" Joyce asked, pulling away from Giles.

"It is nice to see you again," he told her, before speaking to the room in general. "All of you."

"What are you doing here?" Joyce asked. She then cringed when she realized how that sounded, but he just smiled.

"I finished up in Russia and was in L.A. on business when I got a rather alarming call from Ben. I rushed over shortly after Buffy arrived and Dr. Hansen was kind enough to let me observe."

"How did it go?" Giles asked, noticing the doctor was in surgical scrubs. He smiled cautiously.

"The surgery went fine. They're finishing up now."

"But?" Dawn prompted when he paused.

"She has already started showing signs of rejection," he told them. Joyce sighed.

"So it didn't work again," she said, turning into Giles and burying her head.

"There's still a chance," he told them, pulling out a case from his pocket. "Ben and I have been discussing the possibility since she rejected the first kidney."

"What?" Giles asked. Gregory handed him the case. He opened it, his eyes widening. "The Cruciamentum drug?"

"It does strip away the power of the Slayer," he told them, "and we know it works on Buffy. But there are risks."

"Isn't The Slayer the only thing keeping Buffy alive right now?" Willow asked.

"The Slayer is compensating for the loss of her kidneys, yes," he told them, "but if this kidney takes Buffy will be able to function on her own."

"If it doesn't take she's dying anyway," Joyce said. Gregory nodded. "Is that the only risk?"

"We've never given the drug to anyone with a fever," he admitted. "We have no idea how it will react."

"So our choice is uncertainty or death," Giles said. "Give her the drug."

"Ms. Summers?" Gregory double checked. She nodded. "Very well." He looked behind him before smiling. "She's back in her room." They followed him to the room, meeting Dr. Hansen along the way.

"Ms. Summers," he greeted her as he led them into her room. "She did very well, but we've already seen signs of rejection."

"I know," she said, sitting down next to her daughter. She took one of Buffy's hands in her own.

"We've already started treatments."

"We've got another treatment to try," Giles said as Gregory moved toward the IV lines. Dr. Hansen intercepted him.

"It is not hospital policy to allow unqualified treatments," he told him, eyeing the other doctor willfully. Gregory sighed.

"I have consent from the family," he told him, "and neither you nor the hospital will be held accountable if it doesn't work." Dr. Hansen held firm. "Do I need to remind you what the Director said? Or do we need to get her on the line?" Dr. Hansen glared, but stepped away. He turned to the family while Gregory prepared the dose.

"I urge you to reconsider this," he said. "He wants to administer an unknown compound to your daughter. She is already extremely weak."

"I'm sorry," Joyce told him, "but this is her only chance." Dr. Hansen nodded as Gregory injected the medicine into Buffy's line.

"Now we can only wait," he said.

"Doctor," Joyce called as he was leaving the room. "Who's kidney did you use? I'd like to thank them personally." Dr. Hansen pulled her chart from the foot of her bed.

"Hmmm," he muttered as he flipped through it. "It says the donor wishes to remain anonymous." He put the chart back in the slot. "I'm sorry. If a patient expresses anonymity, the hospital policy is to grant it. There will be no records of even a name in your daughter's chart."

"Thank you," Joyce said, feeling stunned. He nodded to them as he exited the room. Gregory followed him out. Hours later Dr. Hansen came back into the room, studying the clipboard in his hands intently.

"I don't know how," he looked up in amazement, "but the rejection has stopped."

"She's going to be okay?" Dawn asked.

"She's still very weak," he cautioned. "Her body is acclimating the new kidney, and it is starting to work as it should, but there's a lot of damage to overcome." He closed the folder.

"Shouldn't she be awake by now?" Joyce asked. Dr. Hansen gravely nodded.

"I'm afraid she's slipped into a coma. We've done everything we can do. The rest is up to her." Everyone sniffled as they held on to each other tightly. There was little they could do but wait and hope. After several hours they had to return to their lives, leaving only Joyce and Giles to continue the vigil, though they promised to return on the weekend. The ride back to Sunnydale was somber, none of the laughing and joking that there usually was. When they got back Anya immediately went to open up The Magic Box, even though the day was half over. Tara opened up The Gallery since she was there and the rest of them hung out between the two stores in a state of shock. Dawn pulled the Codex from the shelf and started reading. Willow, Xander, and Veronica all took turns helping her translate the large book. They went home that night and did the same thing for the rest of the week. Three days later they got the call they were all dreading.

"Hello?" Anya meekly said into the phone. "Thank you for calling The Magic…" She trailed off as whoever called got a word in. She listened intently for several minutes before nodding her head. "Okay. I'll tell them. Bye Giles." She turned to hang up only to find every eye on her when she turned back around. "She woke up." She smiled big as she said this. It took a minute for the news to sink in, but soon everybody was high-fiving and hugging and cheering.

"Thank God," Dawn said wearily as she absently turned the page she was studying.

"So that crucium drug worked?" Faith asked as she jumped up on the counter. Anya nodded.

"Apparently. Giles said that her new kidney is actually working this time and it's getting stronger every day. And so is she. Gregory is ready to start weaning her off the drug. They'll be bringing her back Saturday. Giles said we can go down if we want or we can stay and wait for them here."

"We can decorate the house," Willow suggested. "Have a big welcome home party."

"And we can clean the house first," Tara added, "so Joyce won't have too. I doubt they'll be up to anything for the next few days."

"Yeah," Dawn agreed absently as she flipped to the next page. She skimmed the writing then paused and read the words properly. "Guys?" she looked up with wide eyes. "I think I found it."

* * *

"This looks ominous," Giles said as he pulled the car up to the house. Gregory looked over from the passenger seat and smiled.

"I think it's perfect," he told him. "And she has more than earned this."

"Yes she has," he said as he examined the 'Welcome Home Buffy' sign that was nearly covering the door. Balloons and streamers were taped next to it, but there wasn't a soul in sight. He sighed, before turning in his seat to face the back. "Joyce?" he called gently.

"Wha?" she asked, forcing herself into a sitting position. She and Buffy were in the back of the car, Buffy was using her mother as a pillow, when Joyce found she couldn't keep her eyes open. About halfway there she fell asleep, using her daughter as a pillow. Now she blinked her eyes, trying to wake up enough to figure out what she was seeing. "What is this?"

"I believe it's what you Americans call a party," Giles teased her. She swatted him lightly on the arm.

"Let's go crash it," she said. "Can you get Buffy?"

"Of course," Giles said, opening the door quietly. Buffy was still extremely weak and slept more often than not. He didn't want to disturb her if she was still sleeping, but apparently she woke up when the car stopped. She smiled at him sleepily as she held out her arms. He gently swooped her up and carried her into the house. Joyce and Gregory followed him.

"We need more chips," they heard Willow call out from the living room. "Xander keeps eating them."

"I'm a nervous eater," he replied, "besides I'm the one doing all the heavy banner hanging."

"Hey!" Faith and Daniel called out simultaneously. Willow chuckled as she headed to the kitchen, stopping as soon as she saw them standing in the doorway.

"You're back," she called out loudly. Immediately noise in the other rooms stopped as everyone gathered together. "You're also early," she said, checking her watch. "We weren't expecting you for another hour."

"There was no traffic," Giles explained. He motioned to the living room. "Is it safe to go in there?"

"Yeah," Willow said. "Just ignore the banners unless you want to start the party now?" Giles nodded and brought Buffy into the living room. He laid her carefully on the couch before pulling a blanket over her and tucking her in.

"What if we waited until the guest of honor is awake?" Joyce suggested as Xander, Daniel, and Faith came from the living room.

"Wasn't she awake when you came in?" Anya asked as she emerged from the kitchen.

"She's still very weak," Joyce told them. "She still sleeps a lot." She looked around. "Where's Dawn?"

"She's in the library," Willow said, "with Veronica. She thinks she found the prophecy."

"What?" Giles asked, hurrying back in. He sped off toward the library without a second thought. Joyce smiled as she watched him go. The smile quickly turned into a yawn.

"Finish getting the party set up," she told her kids. "I'm going to take a quick nap. Wake me up when you're finished." They nodded and dispersed to do their assigned tasks while Joyce slowly walked into the living room. She curled up on a recliner and gratefully closed her eyes. In what seemed like seconds someone was poking her in the arm. "Dawn," she grumbled.

"About time," her youngest said to her. "It's time to get this party started." Joyce finally forced her eyes open, amazed at the transformation the room had undergone. She looked over to Buffy, elated to find her awake and watching everything. "Welcome home Buffy," Dawn said, which started a round of 'welcome home' from everybody. There was soft music playing in the background and everybody was gathered around the couch where Buffy lay, laughing and talking and remembering all the good times they had. Buffy watched everything contentedly, until her eyes started to droop. Giles saw this and picked Buffy up and took her to her room. Gregory followed behind him.

"What's with the doc?" Faith asked. "He's taking this house call thing very seriously."

"Actually I wanted to talk to you about that," Veronica said out of nowhere. "The Council, in an attempt to be more human, is thinking about instigating medical checkups for Slayers. My father has asked Gregory to develop a field plan for Slayer health and wellbeing."

"Slayers don't get sick," Faith immediately protested.

"Neither did Buffy," Gregory pointed out as he and Giles rejoined the group. "Until she did. The Slayer masked her symptoms to the point that when we found out there was very little we could do. If we found this sooner, we could have avoided much trouble and heartache." Faith relaxed slightly.

"So you're talking a monthly blood drawing? Weekly temperature checks?" Gregory sighed.

"Actually I'm not sure what I'm talking about. The last recorded medical checks the Council did for Slayers was in the fifteenth century and Slayer healing was far more effective than anything they had back then. Only recently has modern medicine been able to catch up. I was hoping you would be willing to help me figure out the best way to keep Slayers healthy."

"So you want me to be a guinea pig?" she asked defensively.

"Not the way you are thinking," he reassured her. "There will be no experimentation, unless you consent. It will be more trial and error until I figure out what exactly a Slayer needs and the best way to bring it to them. And you have to admit having a doctor on hand is always a plus, especially in your line of work."

"I guess," she shrugged but she couldn't deny how helpful Ben had been through everything. "Why can't Ben work this thing out with Buffy?"

"Ben will continue to work here with Buffy," Giles told her, "but you are the active Slayer."

"For now," she told him. "Give it a few days and Slayer healing will kick in." She stopped when Giles and Gregory looked uncertainly at each other. "What?"

"There was an unexpected side effect with the Cruciamentum drug," Gregory said carefully. "We're not sure why, but when we weaned her off it her strength didn't return."

"What's that mean?" Dawn asked, her eyes going to the stairs. "Does that mean Buffy's not a Slayer anymore?"

"I don't know Dawn," Joyce answered honestly. "But she's alive, and she's home, and that's what really matters."

The end. For now.

AN: So ends another journey through my crazy world of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer. Thanks for taking this journey with me. This is definitely my longest trip yet. I hope it was filled with enough ups and downs and twists and turns to keep it interesting the whole way. It was my darkest journey, putting everyone through all sorts of emotional pain. And yes, I know the super was missing from this supernatural tale, especially towards the end, but that's life.

Now for anyone reading who thinks 'how can it end like this?', I am writing the next chapter of my saga as we speak. What will happen to Buffy and the gang? What will happen to the children? What about this Prophecy I alluded to? Stay tuned to find out some of the answers, and probably a whole lot of questions. I'm not sure when this next one will be ready, but it will come.

Thanks for reading.

CritterKid


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